An Unlikely Match
by Babi
Summary: Caroline's 1st year as a resident hadn't been what she expected. Her mother died and nearly killed her in the process, all while she found out her boyfriend had a wife. Although her best friends helped her, it was the person she expected the least who saved her, the mysterious, dark, troubled, callous, womanizer, Dr. Klaus Mikaelson. Ensemble story, (Kalijah, DaRose and more). AH.
1. Prologue

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**An Unlikely Match**

**Prologue**

* * *

New year, new life, even if it wasn't January, but August. For a doctor the calendar year was irrelevant. For a resident time was irrelevant altogether. She had lost control over her life the moment she started med-school all those years ago. And as each step to becoming a doctor was left behind, more of her life belonged to her career and less to herself.

But Caroline Forbes didn't regret any of it. She loved being a doctor. Scratch that, she loved being a _surgeon._ She wasn't simply a practitioner, she was a surgeon. Too bad those seven years weren't passing any faster. But her internship was finally behind her, and that meant it was one less year until she finally finished her residency. And although the first year of the rest of her learning experience had been tough, it wasn't the working part of it that nearly killed her. Literally. No, that belonged to a boy, a man actually, only a few years older than her. A man who broke her heart in so many pieces she couldn't count, let alone put them together.

But she tried to ignore Dr. Lockwood's role in her first year. She tried to ignore she had to see him and work with him and _for_ him for the next six years. But that wasn't the worst part.

"How is it coming back, Caroline?" the chief of surgery, Dr. Alaric Saltzman asked.

"Good," the blond answered honestly. It was a good feeling being a resident and not at the bottom level of the surgery chain.

"Did you have a good time?" he asked politely.

Caroline was one of his favorite students and everybody knew why. Of course Alaric thought Caroline was doing well, but he had seen she grow up in these corridors. Her mother was after all his wife's best friend since they went to Columbia. As far as anyone could say, Isobel had been the only human being Liz had shown any sort of emotion to. Liz had lost two years in her academic career because of her complicated and unplanned pregnancy. She had had to spend her theentire pregnancy on bed rest because of an early placenta disruption and also because of pre-eclampsia. She was never able to find a way to make up for the three months she lost in her senior year, and later she lost another five because of other complications she had after Caroline was born. But Alaric suspected that wasn't the main reason why she resented Caroline. A couple of years after Caroline was born, her father, Grayson Forbes left Liz and married with a nurse named Miranda. Liz had always been a proud woman and Alaric wasn't sure what hurt more, losing her husband or losing him to a _nurse_. And somehow she blamed it on small Caroline.

That was when Isobel and Liz met, in their first year in med-school and somehow they had become friends, probably because they had very similar personalities. Alaric and Isobel were already married at the time, even though they were very young, but they had been dating since their freshman year in high school. They had been high school sweethearts and once they finished pre-med, they decided to get married as they already lived together throughout their years on pre-med.

Both women were very career driven, and Isobel made sure what happened to Liz wouldn't happen to her. They almost got divorced over the surgery, but in the end Isobel Saltzman removed both her ovaries at age twenty-four. She hadn't regretted it once in the following twenty years and Alaric was sure she would never change her mind about having kids.

When he first met Caroline she was a little older than two, and he fell in love with her the moment he saw her blond, curled pigtails flying as she ran around the hospital where her mother studied. Caroline knew the university campus and the hospital better than the janitors. She had been raised by those walls, and the few people who cared about the innocent little girl. When Liz started her residency, it only got worse. Caroline was only six back then, but still she went to the hospital every day and every time her mother was on call, the little girl would also sleep at the hospital. It was usually Alaric, or any of the older nurses, who would take Caroline from the hospital care and to one of the on call rooms to sleep. Liz didn't even pretend she had forgotten. She simply didn't care. She would never understand why Grayson, who had wanted such a big family, didn't take Caroline with him when he decided he wanted a nurse, and not a surgeon as his wife. She had never wanted to have a child in the first place, but she somehow was left with the burden, as she used to call her daughter.

And if Liz never changed her ways with her daughter in the past twenty-four years, neither did Alaric. He still loved Caroline as if she was his own, the daughter he never had, and the young blond looked at him at the same way. They had a father-daughter sort of relationship, but that wasn't the main reason why the chief of surgery liked Caroline. The young woman was a survivor, had been since a very tender age, and nothing seemed to have the power to bring Caroline Forbes down. At least that was what he thought until Rose Lockwood entered his hospital a little over than a month ago. Caroline had been through much harder experiences, having Elizabeth Forbes as her mother, but still it was Rose who broke her seemingly beyond repair.

"Yeah, alone time with Katherine in a hotel bedroom in Hawaii was all I needed," she smirked, making it become a grin when she saw her chief's reaction.

"Uhh," he mumbled uncomfortable, "I have to go," he rambled before walking away.

It would never get old making her father figure uncomfortable. Alaric sometimes seemed to be older than just forty-five, at least when it came to her. He had always been so attentive and overprotective about her, so much so that even Isobel developed a soft spot for her best friend's daughter, though she covered it the best she could around Liz. Isobel didn't want kids, but she had learned to love Caroline more than she expected. Maybe if she didn't have the now young woman in her life, she would have regretted her decision of giving motherhood up all those years ago. Caroline was full of life, despite her difficult emotional life, and it melted Isobel's heart as she grew even closer to the girl. Especially when Liz died just a month ago, almost killing Caroline in the process.

Nobody knew how Caroline would react. Her relationship with her mother was the oddest thing anyone had ever witnessed. Many people thought the young blond would be relieved, after all Liz being the chief of one the hospital's departments, made Caroline's life there even harder. She didn't want anyone to think she was doing her daughter any favors, and the only way she found to make it clear to everyone was making Caroline's life a living hell. Not only had she ignored, resented and criticized her daughter her whole life, she also started being cruel and extra hard on Caroline when she started her residency. But Caroline didn't give up. She knew what to expect when she decided on the Presbyterian, her skin had become thick a long time ago. That was one of the few up sides about being raised by Elizabeth Forbes. And the biggest proof of Caroline's endurance was how she sat down and did her internship exam just a week after burying her mother, her own body still covered with stitches and scars. But the ones that hurt more couldn't be seen by the eyes.

She remembered entering this same hospital, New York's biggest hospital, known worldwide: the New York Presbyterian Hospital, with a lot of hopes, a big smile on her face as she was introduced to each of the facilities. Just twelve months ago she entered its first OR, empty, with no one saving a life, but she felt good. Back then she expected her life to be different as she finally started her residency. For once she hoped her mother would finally notice her or maybe even approve of something she did. She also hoped to build a name for herself, of course not as big as Elizabeth Forbes, a myth in heart surgery, with more than one procedure named after her on her belt. She knew she would never be as good as Liz, but as she walked down those corridors for the first time she felt like that could be at the start of at least a decent career. But that was just a foolish dream and she knew it. Her mother may not have done a great job in many things as a parent, but she had truly and absolutely convinced Caroline that she wasn't brilliant enough, or focused enough, or committed enough or tough enough to be anything but ordinary, but that at least she wasn't wasting her life in a musical career as Caroline had always dreamed. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamed of being in the Broadway musicals. But as she looked for the past nine years of hard work at school, med-school and internship she was happy her mother convinced her to be a doctor. As much as she loved singing nothing fulfilled her life more than having someone's skin open and saving their lives. Yeah, that was fulfilling and that was the one thing she had her mother to thank for.

* * *

"Forbes," the blue-eyed man greeted somewhat carelessly from the back of the resident's locker room. That was a great progress, although she didn't have much to complain about the interns' locker room. Although this one was much bigger as it also had to attend many more people.

"Klaus, how was London?" she asked, opening her new locker and moving in her stuff. Apparently he hadn't slept at the house, his bedroom's door left open when she woke up that morning.

"Fine. Hawaii?" he asked, although he didn't look up from the sketch pad in his hands.

"Hot," she shrugged because she knew that was as long as a conversation would go with Niklaus Mikaelson. He was a man of few words, if any, and most of them weren't pleasant. They had started their internship together and she was surprised that one day he asked if she had an available bedroom in her house to rent for him. Caroline lived in her family house all by herself since she entered Columbia. Liz moved to an apartment just by the Presbyterian as soon as she could find one once Grayson left them. Even though the house already belonged to him when he got married to Liz, he decided to leave it for Caroline. _As if a mere house would ever make up for having a child_, Caroline had heard her mother complain to Isobel more than once throughout the years.

When she started her internship some of her fellow interns soon became close to her and she decided to rent the rooms of the huge house to them, after all New York was quite the expensive city, especially for an intern's wage. Bonnie and Stefan had been living with her for at least eight months now, but Klaus had only moved in a couple of months ago. She never quite understood why the two men decided to live with her, but she supposed she understood Stefan's reason better than Klaus'. Both had attending brothers working at the Presbyterian and while Stefan and Damon had a close relationship, Damon's womanizer ways were too much for Stefan to keep up with. Simply put; they had opposite personalities. Damon Salvatore was a cocky, selfish, womanizer, rude, short-tempered plastic surgeon, while Stefan was more of a brooding, quiet, timid, polite surgery intern. So it only made sense for him to try to live somewhere else once he started med-school. But ever since he was out of the dorms he had been having a hard time finding a good place to live. Any place to live.

The Salvatore's used to have a lot of money – Damon still did – but their father, Giuseppe, had lost the family's fortune to gambling and the boys barely made it to school. But as soon as Damon started making money as a surgeon he had used most of what he made to help Stefan pay for his studies. In all honesty Damon had a reason to be as cocky as he was. He was a legend in plastic surgery. A prodigy since early age. He finished high school two years earlier than most did and at the early age of thirty he was already a certified plastic surgeon, and now, at age the of thirty-three he was the head of his department at New York's biggest hospital.

But it was still never enough for Giuseppe who didn't approve of anything his son had ever done. With Giuseppe out of the picture the boys were left orphans when Caroline had met them. Stefan said their mother had died when they were still kids. Giuseppe having died three years ago the victim of cirrhosis because there was only one thing Giuseppe did more than betting since Cecilia died: drink. He hadn't stopped since his late wife's funeral and neither Damon nor Stefan was surprised when he was diagnosed with the disease a few years prior to his death. The diagnosis only made Giuseppe drink more.

But Klaus was a different story. His brother, Elijah Mikaelson was older than Damon, being almost forty, and had just been promoted to Liz's previous position: the head of heart surgery department. The hospital had several heart surgeons, all of them Elijah's seniors, but Elijah had been Liz's protégée since he had entered the program and she had taught him well. She had made him the best surgeon, only after herself. Caroline was convinced her mother saw the potential when he started at the Presbyterian twelve years ago, because her mother never made an empty bet or had ever been embarrassed or disappointed by those she favored. Alaric had always counted on Liz's good eyes to invite the residents to stay at the hospital by the end of their residency. He trusted her assessment and in ten years he had never been disappointed. And with Elijah it wasn't any different. The man was a god in the OR. But it seemed as if gods didn't have family. Mikaelson wasn't a common name and when Klaus entered the program, the staff concluded the men were related, but neither said a word about it. It wasn't until much later when Alaric finally asked Elijah his relation to Klaus that they found out they were actually brothers.

They were opposites, just like the Salvatore's, with their physical features in contrast as much as their personalities. Klaus had sand blond hair, blue eyes, and white cream skin, while Elijah had dark eyes and hair, and a beautiful olive skin. Elijah was also the epitome of politeness. He was a gentleman to everybody, always dressed in a pristine suit under his lab coat — unlike most surgeons — his hair was a legend of its own and he had the best bed side manners at the hospital. He didn't care only about the physical heart of his patients. He was a compassionate and gentle doctor, as well as humble, and the kind that was hard to find in any hospital. The only thing he had in common with Klaus was their need to speak only when necessary. Elijah, though, didn't spare words when talking to a patient or teaching a resident, whereas Klaus almost never opened his mouth in any circumstance. The younger doctor was also very polite, but not in the same way his brother was. There was warmth in Elijah's politeness, while Klaus' was plain. His words while polite, were sharp and more times than not, he didn't say enough. He was laconic to the point where he was cold. Especially when it came to his brother. If Klaus didn't have a lot of words to patients and fellow doctors, he had none to his brother. Klaus did everything he could to stay away from Elijah and once the whole hospital found out they were brothers, he made it clear that there wasn't any lost love between them. Liz didn't seem to like the younger Mikaelson as she liked the older, but she always went out of her way to make sure Klaus was with herself or any of the other heart surgeons at the hospital. Caroline had no doubt it was a favor to her protégée, not to the intern.

Unlike the Salvatore's though, the Mikaelson's were very rich. That was what Katherine found out through Elijah, but later when the brunette made a very deep research on the family she found out they were actually royalty, as in related, even if distantly, to the British Royal Family. It made her wonder why Klaus had asked her for a room to live in, as long as it wouldn't be more expensive than seven hundred dollars. That was an answer Caroline never had, as nobody dared to ask it to Klaus and Elijah was very discreet about his personal life. Katherine found out about their wealth when he let it slip he used the family's private jet to visit his mother, during an emergency a few months ago. But Caroline didn't mind the mysterious man. As long as he wasn't rude to her – and he had never been – and didn't break any of the house's rules, she was okay with him living with them.

"Did you go to the grocery?" she asked after changing on her scrubs, not bothering that he was in the room with her. As a doctor the human body wasn't much more than work most times and she had nothing to be embarrassed. She had been blessed with a thin figure even though she ate like a crazy person.

"I think Bonnie did. Not sure, sweetheart," he continued drawing, his eyes not moving from the pad in his hands once. Like Caroline, he thought human anatomy was something too common. Many of his fellow female residents had been down to their underwear in his presence, still he had never looked their way. But his cool demeanor around them while they were at work didn't reflect his behavior outside the hospital. Only one man in the hospital bedded more women than Klaus Mikaelson: Damon Salvatore. None of them minded their position or line of work. Klaus had slept with the entire accounting department who was single. That being the reason why Damon had slept with more women. Apparently Klaus didn't sleep with women in a relationship, or who were married, while Damon never cared. There was a reason why _he_ wasn't in a relationship and that was because he didn't want to worry about it. If the women weren't happy with their partners and wanted to go in a ride in Damonland, as he used to call his body, it wasn't him who would stop them.

"It was your turn!" Caroline answered annoyed. He never went to the grocery store. He always relied on Stefan to do it for him, and Stefan being the saint he was, just added to his chores to go to the supermarket twice a month. She doubted Bonnie had gone though. The brunette would rather rot in hell than do Klaus any favors since he had slept with a nurse the same night the residents had slept together. Bonnie knew how Klaus was, but she didn't think he would actually leave her bed in the morning to sleep with a nurse in the afternoon in one of the hospital's on call rooms.

"There's something you should know, love" he changed the subjects, and Caroline knew it couldn't be good. Klaus rarely started any conversation, and every single time she fought with him for not doing the grocery, he would just shrug in response. He wasn't looking for an out from their conversation and she was afraid to ask what it could be.

"Your half-sister is among the new interns," he broke the sudden silence between them. He didn't know why he was telling her that though as it was none of his business. He never cared about anyone other than himself. Not even his patients as he delivered bad news to their relatives as if he was talking about the weather. He was cold, careless, detached and sometimes even cruel with his few words. And that was why people called him the Original Evil in the hospital's corridors. No one would despise a brother like Elijah if they weren't evil inside. The older Mikaelson was the gentlest doctor in the world according to the staff. But Klaus never minded the nickname. He saw people simply as means to an end, and his ends were quite simple: become the best plastic surgeon in the country and seduce as many women in process, regardless if they were co-workers, patients, nurses, waitresses or whatever else. He didn't have any prejudice about what they did as long as it didn't affect his position in the hospital and they gave him what he wanted. And they always did.

"How come?" she asked, pretending that she wasn't affected by having another Forbes around.

"We met at the interns' mix and she introduced herself as Elena Forbes. Quite the vision…" he smirked remembering how he had more than just met Elena two days before.

"Do whatever you want with her, I just don't want her around in the house," Caroline demanded, before leaving the room. She knew Klaus well to know what his tone implied.

"Talk about family issues," he muttered to himself as he continued to draw another beautiful woman in his sketch. His inspiration to change women who weren't very fortunate naturally was always going to be the goddesses he drew carefully. Dr. Salvatore was probably late, as usual, and there was nothing else he wanted to do until his mentor arrived, though Isobel had been clear about them not picking a specialty until the fifth year of their residence. There was no way he was going to the vagina squad, or even worse, carpentry. No way in hell. Good thing he had slept with the residents that were currently making their schedules. The promise of a redo had been enough for them to make sure to schedule him with Dr. Salvatore as much as possible, though he didn't mind any of the Saltzman's or Dr. Lockwood.

* * *

Caroline headed to the nurse station where she was supposed to meet her own interns in a while. That was the lone reason why she had been there thirty minutes earlier than usual. She wanted to give them a good impression. She didn't want to be as restricted – and scary – as Isobel Saltzman, her previous resident, but she definitely didn't want to be late or too friendly to her own interns. She just hoped anyone above would help her to stay away from this Elena girl. She knew her father had had other children with his new wife, but she didn't want anything to do with any of them.

"Welcome back, my favorite dirty mistress," Damon said approaching her, smelling her hair from behind and stopping himself just an inch from biting her bare earlobe.

"Damon!" she playfully hissed.

"I heard you're in the market again," he smirked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Seriously. You can't be serious, Damon. Do you really want to get a scar on your godlike face?" she giggled back at him. They had hit it off immediately, especially because of the once close relationship between him and her ex. They used to be best friends, but Rose had also come between the old friends.

"No. In fact I was thinking maybe we should have some action to liven up our reputations. We would do a great team Forbes, my dashing looks and incredible bed abilities and your sexy legs and dirty mind," he looked at her the way he looked at all the girls he tried to seduce, but she was somehow immune to his charms. Her guarding angel definitely helping her in that department. She could only imagine how much more difficult her first year would have been if she had had an affair with Damon. _But I doubt he would have hurt you more than you had been_, she thought to herself.

"No. No sleeping with inappropriate men this time," she answered avoiding eye contact. He was sex on legs and as much as she was still immune to him she wouldn't test her luck. She knew she didn't have much of it and she was counting on having it when it came to her new interns. As long as none of them had Forbes in their name, she was would be okay.

Katherine seemed to have missed Caroline's mother more than the daughter herself as Liz was the only reason Katherine left Los Angeles and moved to New York. She wanted to be the best in the country and the best way to do that was by learning from the best, who just so happened to be her best friend's mother. Although Katherine never hid from Caroline that her mother was the reason why she was at the Presbyterian, they didn't become friends out of the interest on the part of the brunette. Especially because it was no secret in the hospital corridors that Caroline had always had a very difficult and distant relationship with her mother. Katherine was much closer to Liz in the few months they had worked in the same place and Caroline had actually felt jealous of her best friend when she heard her mother, purposefully, worshiping the brunette's talent and focus. Of course, Liz never lost the chance to compare the two of them in those occasions – regardless of who was around them, and the comparison was never in favor of her daughter. Actually it was always a chance to show the world her low opinion of the younger Forbes.

"Forbes, Hills, Baker, Thompson," Klaus called and three guys, along with Elena, walked towards him. Isobel had just lectured him in the locker room, before giving him his list. He had forgotten he was now responsible for the stupid interns. Why was there always someone making his life harder? And three guys? Wasn't it bad enough that he had to babysit the clueless doctors' wannabes, it had to be three men? At least Elena was among them, and she was hot enough to make him forget about the other rascals.

"I'm Dr. Mikaelson, your resident. Take your pagers and follow me," he ordered, lacking some of his usual politeness that Caroline was used to. He was after all an English gentleman, but she also knew he didn't have many words with men.

"Adams, Burton, Salvatore and Smith" Caroline called. "I'm Dr. Forbes and I'll be your resident. Here are your pagers. I will show you the hospital and explain you some rules. Please follow me," she explained with a firm, but also somehow friendly voice, being her usual kind self.

* * *

Mason had been looking at her from the stairwell. He knew she would make a great resident. She had a way to teach and to lead people around her, and a light that would balance the required fierceness and softness to the job. She was amazing and he couldn't believe they weren't together anymore. But now that he was indeed free, he wasn't going to waste his second chance. He would do everything in his power to have Caroline back. And he wasn't used to losing.

"Any hope?" Damon asked, approaching the man that had once been his best friend.

"Not sure," Mason sighed, shaking his head, before walking away. Things had been a little strained between the two of them since Damon, unknowingly, tried to seduce Caroline when he started working in the Presbyterian, just a few months ago. He had no idea she was the girl his friend was dating. All he knew was that she was blonde, and a resident – Mason failed to comment she was an intern, and when the neurosurgeon entered the bar across the hospital to find his best friend - whom he spent months convincing Alaric to steal from Sinai - trying to kiss his girlfriend, he saw red and wasting no time he punched Damon in the face, rendering Caroline shocked. The blond took the plastic surgeon back to the hospital and helped him with the stitches in his face, although he assured – and proved – her he could it much better than her and only needed her help to hold a mirror in front of his face. But maybe the main problem between the two friends was a different shade of blonde that was now approaching Damon.

"Morning," Rose Lockwood offered, her smile weak and small.

"Rose," he said sporting his famous smirk to the young female doctor, "Congratulations on the position," he completed, before wrapping his arms around her.

"Thanks," she answered, blushing slightly, but also looking quite unexcited about now being officially part of New York Presbyterian Hospital's staff. She had worked at the hospital with a couple of critical patients in the past few months, as she was one the few doctors the head of pediatrics at the Presbyterian, Dr. Martin, trusted. He had been trying to add her to his team since she finished her residency, but she had preferred the Sinai at the time. And after the episode with Mason and Caroline he thought it'd be impossible for the doctor to change hospitals, but Liz had helped him back then, and made it nearly impossible for Rose to continue at the Sinai.

"What's up Lockwood?" he addressed what his eyes quickly saw. She was having a hard day. Rose was one of the tough cookies. She was strong and never let it show, but he knew her too well. They'd been friends for over thirty years, after all.

"My marriage is over," she said trying her best to hold back her tears.

"Mason is just stupid. His loss. You deserve better," he said trying to comfort his friend. And that was the other reason why his friendship with Mason was now strained. He took Rose's side in the story, not only because he really cared about her, but especially because she was the victim, if there was any victim in their wrecked situation. She was the one who got cheated on, although Mason considered them already over and separated when he started a relationship with Caroline.

Rose was one of the few people that cared about Damon and didn't judge his manwhore behavior. The only other he could name at the moment was Caroline. Both blonds were understanding and supportive, and that couldn't be said of any other female in the hospital. But unlike Caroline, he had his share of nights with Rose before he introduced her to her future husband, over a decade ago. The couple of blonds had been married for nearly eight years, but things hadn't been working out for them for the past year.

That was when Mason met Caroline at the hospital and fell for her. At the time Rose and Mason were separated, but the pediatrician still had hoped to be reunited with her husband. They had been together for ten years, and she knew crises were common in long term relationships. They hadn't talked about divorce yet back then, although Mason was living in their house in Belford instead of the Manhattan apartment, where she still lived. They were both old money and the properties were passed from their families to them once they got married, and for any reason they kept both houses functioning. Mason chose to live in the house his father gifted him, while Rose stayed in the apartment she had been living since she moved to the city. Her family was from New Orleans, but had as much, if not, more money than the Lockwood's.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but I love him, Damon," she wiped quickly a couple of tears that insisted on falling. It had been such the scandal when she visited the hospital two months ago to work in a difficult case involving young twins. There were at least eight doctors named Lockwood working at the Sinai and somehow few doctors at the Presbyterian knew Mason was married to Rose and unlike the nurses, the attending doctors didn't spend their scarce free time gossiping about other people's life. Mason didn't wear a wedding band when he started working at the Presbyterian, and there had been rumors about their separation, so they just assumed they were in fact separated for good. And that was how Mason also thought.

In his head he wasn't cheating on anyone. He already considered his marriage to Rose over, but the two women involved didn't think so. Rose, because he had never mentioned divorce, thought they were only going through a bad patch and Caroline because Mason never mentioned being married in the first place. When a new Lockwood doctor was announced to work with them that week, nobody in the staff was surprised as there were more Lockwood doctors in New York than Smiths in America. But when Rose started to introduce herself as Mason's wife, people started to whisper and look at her with pity. She hadn't met Mason yet, because he had been in a complicated surgery when she arrived. Alaric surprisingly didn't know the two had ever been married, and had no idea he had just set up a bomb that would explode around one of the few people he really loved. Rose started early in the morning and by noon everybody was talking about the love triangle. Caroline who had also been busy most of the day – and who had always done her best to stay out of the nurses' gossip – felt her heart almost stop when she walked towards her boyfriend, only to see another woman excitedly say 'surprise' before kissing him.

"Shh. It'll pass. I know it hurts, but it will pass and you will get something much better," Damon tried to comfort his oldest friend.

"Thank you," she nodded, offering him a small smile.

"But until then if you want me to comfort you. My apartment number is the same," he wriggled his eyebrows smirking.

Rose looked straight to him and shook her head. But she knew that was just Damon being Damon.

"Seriously, Salvatore," she left him behind her with a smirk plastered on his face.

* * *

The day passed quickly, thankfully for Caroline. Her interns weren't any geniuses, but at least she wasn't with her half-sister. She had avoided her and Mason all the day and finally she was going home successful in her escape. But she knew she shouldn't say, or even think such a thing before leaving because before she could leave the residents' locker room, Mason entered. She wasn't surprised to turn and see him standing by the doorframe; she could feel his presence from afar. She tried to ignore his presence, but he made it very noticeable

"How was your first day as a resident?" he asked walking towards her.

"Fine. My interns aren't that bad," she answered without looking at him.

"That's good, I heard there's another Forbes between them?" he tried to make small conversation, but they both knew there was only as much small talk he would do before moving to the subject he didn't seem to leave behind him.

"So I heard. I think she's with Klaus, but I'm not sure," she hoped that would end the conversation. Her relationship with the green-eyed attending had been intense and overwhelming. Things with her and Mason weren't like any other relationship she had ever heard of, as she never had any serious boyfriend before him. Liz wouldn't allow her to be distracted by stupid things such infatuation or crushes, because in the world of Elizabeth Forbes, love was not only a weakness, but a tale altogether. It didn't happen in the real world. Caroline was positive that her relationship with a married man was one of the causes of her mother's sudden heart attack, the one that resulted in Liz's death, and that almost killed herself as well.

"How was Hawaii?" he asked, as she put away her belongings in her purse.

"Fine. I should be going. See you tomorrow," she hung her purse on her shoulder and tried to leave, but Mason didn't allow her to even reach the door

He purposely blocked her way and she lowered her head "Mason, I need to go," she nearly pleaded, avoiding any kind of contact physical contact between them, even if only with their eyes.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Home, I need to unpack my things and do the laundry," she answered, still looking at her shoes.

"Caroline," he said slipping his hand over her arm, making her body shiver at the contact. That was why she was trying to keep her distance. Her body still betrayed her.

"Please, Mason, let me go. We don't have anything to talk about. We're done if this is why you're holding me here," she said stepping from one side to the other trying to leave, but he was easily following her movements, still blocking her way.

He reached for her arms, holding her still, looking at her with the soft, breathtaking gaze she still loved. "Please, Mason, don't make it harder than it already is," she openly pleaded this time.

"Did you hear her?" Klaus asked behind him, looking as dark and dangerous as he sometimes managed to look, which was another reason for his nickname among the hospital staff. People still talked until this day of when Klaus punched a patient's relative just a few months after he started at the hospital. Only Alaric and the resident knew the reason for the event, and Klaus had been suspended from work for a week, but he didn't lose his job with his violent behavior.

"This is between only Caroline and I, Dr. Mikaelson," Mason said softly, his eyes never leaving Caroline's.

"And I guess the girl made herself clear, mate" Klaus retorted, not slightly intimidated by his superior.

Mason wouldn't do it just because Klaus asked, but looking down at Caroline he could see she was seconds away from crying and the last thing he wanted was to make her cry.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Care," he stroke her cheek softly, but she didn't answer. She couldn't, and the moment he stepped aside, she quickly left, the tears in her eyes barely waiting for her to completely pass by him before falling.

"Give her some space and time, Lockwood. It's the only way she can heal what you broke," Klaus suggested, as he turned to reach Caroline.

Mason only watched both residents leaving, and sighed. Klaus was right. He had indeed broken Caroline, even if he never really intended to.

* * *

_AN: __so this my Klaroline AH. I do hope it has more response than my canon, that got not one single review (and that I'll probably delete, as it must suck if no one cared about it)._

_If you ever watched Grey's Anatomy and found any resemblance, it's no coincidence, though this isn't a crossover and I'm not replicating GA's storylines here. Caroline and Meredith Grey couldn't be any more different characters and that will remain true in this story (despite they having a lot of things in common: a mother who died and didn't care about them, a boyfriend who hid a wife, renting rooms in their house, etc...). Meredith and Caroline are opposites and they will remain this way in this story. It was only than when I thought of this story I thought of Liz being a distant mother, a reason to have a heartbroken Caroline and a reason for Klaroline share a roof. It's all just a big coincidence, sort of :P  
_

_The other pairs are indefinite my focus here is Klaroline, so the rest if fair game, unless a lot of people ask for something specific, there will be a lot of dance of chairs between the other couples.  
_

_Now how about you guys be kind and leave me a review?  
_

_I also want to thank **Erin** for being my beta to this chapter, even after it was posted and she had already read it. Such a sweetheart! Thanks, lovely.  
_

_Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries (or Grey's Anatomy for that matter) or any of its characters._


	2. Chapter I

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter I**

* * *

"Caroline, sweetheart" Klaus called out.

"Thank you," she answered, already hyperventilating.

"It's alright. Breathe, slow, deep breaths, love" he said holding her hand tight against his body. Somehow Caroline awoke the same protective instincts in him he hadn't had in a very long time. Maybe because she had offered him a place to live when he had nowhere to go, and little to no money, but if he was being honest he had liked her even before that. And that was something he had a hard time with. Of course it helped when she had showed him more compassion and consideration than any other person he had crossed ways with within the past ten years. But it wasn't only that. There was a light about Caroline, something he had noticed the moment he laid eyes on her a year ago.

Of course she was beautiful, and he wouldn't mind her becoming another notch in his bedpost, but when he approached her back then, she admitted she was seeing someone else. It didn't take much longer for him to figure out she wasn't lying and the man in question was their attending doctor, Mason Lockwood.

"Thanks, Klaus. I'm sorry to involve you in this," she said trying to breathe as he instructed.

"You didn't involve me. I just couldn't leave you there with him," he admitted, and she was actually surprised, not only about his actions, but even more about his words. She knew Klaus always kept his distance from everybody. That was putting it lightly, she tried to defend him when people said he was heartless and selfish for not caring about anyone, not even his brother, but deep inside she knew there was more to him than what the surface showed. It was like that with everyone. She knew a lot of people judged her cheery ways, but somehow she had to cover how broken she was. Maybe Klaus was doing the same and she wouldn't blame him. She spent so many years pretending to be the cheery Barbie girl, that she didn't know how to stop it. She could relate to him, even though she didn't approve of his actions.

"Let's go home, love" he offered once she recovered her breath.

* * *

The ride to her house had been a silent one, contrasting largely with the environment she found when she stepped inside.

"I told you this was going to happen," Bonnie said as soon as Caroline entered the house.

"What's up?" Caroline asked, having no idea of what the dark-skinned girl was talking about.

"Klaus, of course! He broke the no-sex in the house rule," she said really pissed.

"Didn't you sleep with him while he lived elsewhere?" Caroline asked, not really in the mood to have this argument with Bonnie. She loved her friend, but she was too 'judgy' as Damon used to say. He said she was the only girl in the hospital he didn't dare to sleep with; too much judgment for him to enjoy the ride.

"I can't believe you're defending him!"

"We're adults, Bonnie, I only made that rule because I wanted to prevent this house into becoming a brothel. You know when you slept with Klaus and later with Matt I didn't complain. That rule was more to Stefan and Klaus, although — now I know Stefan would never need a rule in the first place," Caroline said opening one of the cabinets and taking an Advil. Her head was killing her and Bonnie wasn't helping.

"So now you prefer womanizers over well behaved guys?" the dark-skinned girl asked sarcastically.

"Bonnie, what's your point? So Klaus brought a girl home while I was in Hawaii and the girl probably did the walk of shame in front of you and Stefan. Was she dressed at least?" the blond took the pill and drank the whole glass of water. It was too hot and she couldn't wait until she was in the paradise of her air conditioned bedroom.

"My point is after he came back from London there had been a different girl in his bedroom every night," the brunette answered exasperatedly.

"I'll talk to him, I guess it was vacation and nobody was home," Caroline massaged her forehead, hoping that now that she had agreed to talk to Klaus, Bonnie would let it go.

"I was!"

"I thought you traveled to your home city?"

"I couldn't stay for longer than a week there and when I came back it seemed like I entered a prostitute's house!" Bonnie protested.

"Well, now we're all back and I think things will go back to the way they were," Caroline offered with a tired voice. Bonnie's loud voice was making her head hammer.

"You can't teach new tricks to an old dog," Bonnie offered sarcastically.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"He makes Stefan uncomfortable, actually he could make anyone uncomfortable, his own brother pretends not to know him, there's no way he's trustworthy. He's hiding something, I can feel it! My intuition never fails, you know I have a heightened sixth sense," Bonnie said calmer, but also looking honestly terrified.

"So what, am I supposed to trust your witch senses and just tell him to confess all his sins?" Caroline asked. Bonnie didn't take offense by the witch comparison as they had made a lot of jokes about her supposedly supernatural abilities to read people. She was a physician, but still she believed almost everything regarding the supernatural. Well, maybe except for vampires and werewolves.

"No, you're supposed to do what anyone would do, ask him to find another place to live. He's crossed the line between hot mysterious and creepy mysterious the first night we heard his screams," Bonnie said in a low voice. She felt for Klaus, but she was uncomfortable with his sporadic, but still present, episodes of violence in his bedroom, and now he was bringing a different girl to the house every night. She knew he probably knew little or nothing about the women he brought in and that was New York, but he should have at least known that it was dangerous to bring strangers home.

"What?"

"Care, we didn't know he used to get… violent at night," Bonnie said softly, addressing the other problem.

"I wouldn't call it violent," Caroline answered without any confidence.

"And how can you describe those horrifying screams and the broken, bottles glasses and even the mirror?" Bonnie sighed remembering the first night they heard it. Caroline was on call and it was only her and Stefan in the house while Klaus was going crazy in the room next door.

"He apologized and paid for a new mirror and even bought new glasses," Caroline shrugged, but she had to admit at least to herself that the first night she had heard him she was scared. She mentioned it to him the following morning and he apologized saying he had had a bad dream. She had had a lot of bad dreams in her life and she reacted like that, but she let it go.

"What if someday he brings it out of his bedroom?" Bonnie asked quietly.

"It's only happened three times, Bonnie," the blond reasoned, but it seemed like the brunette had an answer to everything.

"In two months!"

"Bonnie, if you're expecting me to ask him to move out, sorry, I won't. He's a friend, I may agree he's not as close as us, Stefan or Katherine, but that's his right, and he's a good friend," Caroline explained as she remembered how he had been for her less than an hour ago.

"And I can't live with a guy I don't trust, what if he brings a crazy woman to the house? I can assure you he doesn't ask a lot of questions before bedding a woman," Bonnie admitted.

"Should I remind you that between the two of us, you're the one who slept with him?" Caroline tried to enlighten the very uncomfortable conversation, but Bonnie didn't budge.

"When I thought he was just some hot English guy with a sexy accent, not a crazy British psycho," the brunette explained.

"Don't you think you're exaggerating a little bit?" Caroline smiled. She may have been scared by Klaus in the two occasions he had those 'nightmares', but she didn't think he was a psycho.

"No, but I knew this was how you were going to react. Stefan and I will move out. We found this crap apartment, but it has everything we need. I'll keep looking for something better and until then we will live with the cockroaches," Bonnie said disgusted, remembering one of the many insects she saw in the brief five minutes she and Stefan stayed in the horrible apartment.

"Katherine lives alone. Maybe you should talk to her," Caroline said trying to help, but she knew it was a bad idea. If there were two people in the world that couldn't share a room for more than five minutes it was Bonnie and Katherine.

"Her apartment only has one bedroom Caroline, how are the three of us supposed to live in one-room apartment?" Bonnie retorted angrily, "Anyway, I'm packing my stuff. I'll probably be gone by the weekend," she said dramatically.

"I'm sorry things went this way," Caroline answered honestly. She really loved the news friends she had made at the hospital, they were like the family she never had, and she wasn't about to choose one of them over the other. It was Bonnie's decision to leave.

"You chose the Original Evil over me and Stefan,"

"No Bonnie, I chose nobody. You're the ones that don't want Klaus around and this is why I offered you both a place to live here because I didn't want to choose," the blue-eyed girl answered defensively.

"Whatever, Caroline," Bonnie said, walking out of the kitchen.

* * *

Caroline already had a lot to deal with and what she needed the least was a fight with Bonnie over Klaus. _Especially _over Klaus. She felt like she could be herself around him and she had only ever felt that way around Damon and Katherine. Like she didn't need to do anything else besides be just plain Caroline. Like she was _enough_, and didn't need to pretend to be the shallow, stupid blond girl that fit the image her mother had made of her and made sure to inform everyone else of. But she kept some distance from Damon these days; his relationship with Mason and Rose made it hard for her to get closer to him in the capacity that she needed as a friend.

To top it off, Elijah had broken up with Katherine and her friend was in a sour mood. It seemed like Elijah was too ethical to keep a relationship with a resident now that he was the head of a department. Caroline remembered how Katherine had to play every trick in the book to convince him to date her when he was only one of the hospital attending doctors. It wasn't because of his status, or because he was a snob. He didn't want anyone to question his actions towards Katherine, who was a great surgeon, probably the best in their group, and who had already chosen his field to specialize.

It seemed like now that she needed her friends the most they were all leaving her, except for Klaus. With Bonnie and Stefan moving out and Katherine shutting the world out to hide her pain, Caroline only had him. And when she had needed him that night he had come in to help without her even having to ask him.

Caroline finally decided to eat something small and hoped that it would help with her unbearable headache, but if it didn't, she wouldn't think twice before taking one of her sleeping pills that she still had. They had prescribed it to her after the accident, because once she had woken up from her coma she found she couldn't sleep. At first it was because her whole body hurt, and later because she just _couldn't_. She had been in coma only two days, and a week after the accident she had to bury her mother in the morning and do her internship exam in the afternoon. Somehow she survived that day, but she was positive if Katherine and Damon weren't there for her, she probably wouldn't have been able to do her exam or even show up at the cemetery.

Entering her bedroom after finishing munching on some crackers, she decided to take a bath. They had always helped her relax, ever since she was a girl, and maybe that was what she needed. Residents didn't have time to even eat properly, let alone have a bath. It had been months since she didn't have to take a five-minute shower, but tonight she would fight her tiredness and wait for her bathtub to fill. She undressed in her private bathroom and sat on a small bench in the corner thinking about Mason while the tub filled.

She knew she shouldn't be thinking about him, but her heart had a will of its own and as much as her mind prohibited her thoughts to go there that was where they constantly ended. She was wrapped in her towel when she heard someone knocking on her bedroom door. She thought it was probably Bonnie come to make up. The girls didn't mind being naked around each other, and without another thought she yelled for her friend to come in.

"Come in, I'm in the bathroom," she yelled, realizing the tub was already filled.

She hung her towel, before stepping in the hot water. She had yet to move her left foot inside the tub when she heard the bathroom door opening, but she didn't expect the scream that followed, "Forbes!" Klaus yelled, before spinning back around.

She shrieked, frightened by his loud voice, and losing her balance she slipped and fell, hitting her back on the edge of the tub before submerging in the water. Klaus heard her and immediately forgot that she was naked to check on her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, helping her to sit in the tub while she grimaced. Her back was hurting from where she had hit it, but she was okay.

"Yes, thanks," she answered, noticing that he tried not to look at her body, even though one of his hands was giving her back support. The water and the bubbles covered her naked body, but still he behaved like the gentleman she knew he was and that thought brought her comfort.

"I came to check on you. You said I could come in, I didn't imagine you were going to be naked!" he removed his hand from her back, and turned away again, letting her face his back.

"I thought you were Bonnie!" she protested, although she couldn't cover her embarrassment.

"She left I don't think she'll come back for the night," he explained, his voice less irritated.

"You can turn, I'm covered by the bubbles," she offered, seeing how he made sure to not look in her direction. What was his deal anyway? He had seen almost all women from the hospital naked and definitely done more than just see. She knew he wasn't interested in her, she once overheard him saying that although he didn't have any prejudice he avoided dumb bimbos because he didn't have the patience to deal with their stupidity, no matter how hot their bodies were and how great the sex could be.

He had never implied she was dumb, but he had never made a move on her except for the one time he asked her to have drinks him with him after work, just a few weeks into their internship. It was about the same time when she had started giving into Mason's insistence to go out with him and she had finally agreed. She remembered she said she was seeing someone, but Klaus answered he had only invited her to have some drinks after work, nothing else. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life before, but then a few more weeks passed and she realized she didn't have a reason too, as Klaus hit on every breathing woman in the hospital.

He turned around to see her. Her hair was in a mess bun at the top of her head and her bangs fell softly over her face. She looked tired, but breathtakingly beautiful. He remembered when he first met her he noticed how beautiful she was. She was natural. She didn't need make up or to do anything with her hair. She was just beautiful. Her skin seemed smooth like velvet and he surprisingly felt his heart beat faster when he saw her naked just a few moments ago. It was different from the times he had seen her in only her underwear at the hospital.

She seemed to save her sexy underwear – that he had already seen in the laundry room – for Mason's eyes only. The two doctors had a history of having sex at the hospital, but every time she changed into her scrubs in the interns' room and now in the residents' locker room she was wearing nothing but comfortable and boring underwear that covered more than he wished for. But now he had seen her totally bare, and it only confirmed what he had known for sure: she was perfect.

"I just came to say that if I'm causing you trouble I can move out. I don't plan to spend the rest of my life here," his tone even harsher than his words, which shouldn't surprise her but still did. Where was the guy that rescued her just a couple of hours ago?

"You didn't cause anything. Bonnie did. You know her, she overreacts. She'll get over this. I told her she can stay and Stefan too, but she's the one who doesn't want to stay. Don't worry you're not causing me any trouble," she explained, "Except for seeing me naked," she added, giggling, not feeling embarrassed anymore. Also she was used to pretending to be cheery and shallow when others were judging her, it was a natural reaction.

Her giggle was infectious and he loved to hear it. It reminded him of his younger sister. He missed her and for a moment he looked sad, but quickly his walls were up again and his indifferent mask was on.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Caroline," he said leaving.

"Klaus," she called him out before he left.

He turned and she just smiled that beautiful smile of hers. "Thank you," she simply said and he knew she meant what he did for her at the hospital.

He just nodded and left.

* * *

The past week had helped Klaus. He was relieved to know the moment he shared with Caroline in her bathroom didn't change things between them and that he felt nothing for her. Seeing her beautiful naked body only made his heart beat faster because she was so hot. His heart would always accelerate seeing a good specimen of woman like Caroline Forbes nude. He may feel overprotective about her, as he used to be with his baby sister, but that didn't make him look at her the same way he used to look at Rebekah.

The few days that passed also helped Caroline, who was feeling slightly better about her situation at the hospital and in the house. She missed Bonnie, but she couldn't complain about Klaus. He was a good friend and he did what he could to help her. Katherine slept over a few nights, but she didn't talk about Elijah or about her feelings. She just heard and talked about Mason like she was perfectly okay about being dumped by the guy she was still undeniably in love with, though she would never admit it. Caroline knew her best friend was hurting, but she also knew there was nothing she could do to make Katherine open up. She even suspected the brunette was sleeping quite often in the house with her because of the many memories she had with Elijah in his apartment.

Things with the dark haired couple escalated too fast. She had fallen for him the moment she saw him in the OR making an impossible procedure. That was Katherine for you, only she would fall in love with someone while they did their job. But still she did and after using her best seduction tricks, he finally agreed to have a date with her, not that she ever asked that. She had aimed for sex and made it very clear to him that sex was what she was looking for. What Elijah didn't know was that she was a lioness in the bedroom and that was the way she hoped to finally have his attention. But she was the one who got surprised after all.

Elijah had enjoyed her company greatly and asked her out several times following the first, but he never made the first move for them to have sex and he shut down her every attempt – explicit or not. Two months later they were an item – a secretive one that only Liz and Caroline knew about. That had been another thing that had hurt Caroline deeply. Liz not only approved of Katherine relationship with Elijah, but cheered for them. She thought they were perfect for each other and that Katherine would challenge Elijah in being an even better doctor and a great wife focused on her career. Another couple of months and the duo was living together at Elijah's place, where Katherine still lived. He had the decency to move out, instead of abandoning Katherine without a place to stay.

Although the Mikaelson's weren't from New York, Elijah was an attending, and now the head of a surgery department with a wage that was more than enough to afford him some days in a hotel until he could find another place to live. Katherine was looking somewhere else to live because there was no way her friend would accept to live in her ex's apartment for too long. Caroline invited Katherine to live with her, but the brunette didn't do roommates, especially if they included Bonnie and Stefan, and lately Klaus, although she had a better time with the blue-eyed resident than the other two.

Once Bonnie and Stefan moved out, Caroline repeated the invitation, but Katherine said she'd rather live alone and that eventually she would find a decent place to live. The blond didn't insist, and she was happy that she and Klaus at least lived well together. It was the only easy part of her new life.

Her interns weren't terrible, but they challenged her patience. Her group had much more talented doctors, and Stefan was her only consolation among them. Her days were especially difficult when in addition to the interns she had to work with Mason. She wouldn't deny it was hard to be so close to him, but she appreciated his attempt to give her some space. She was suspicious at first because she knew how insistent he could be. She still remembered how he insisted with her to go on a date with him. She had turned him down a lot of times, but there was only so much a girl could say no to with a man like him.

The hospital, as any serious company, had a strict policy about employees dating their bosses. It wouldn't have been any problem if he was a practitioner or a nurse or even a fellow resident. The problem was he was her attending and he could easily favor her if he wanted, and the rules existed to prevent that kind of situation as well as harassment. But after what felt like the thousandth attempt she finally agreed to go on a date with him. Back then she thought that maybe that was all he needed to leave her alone. That one date would be enough to get whatever he wanted out of his system.

Caroline had never had a problem sleeping around. Mason may have been her first serious relationship, but she honestly couldn't count how many men she had slept with. She had needs, and she wasn't timid to admit them. No man was an island and although she did her best to avoid relationships, she was never shy around men. Just because she wasn't willing to have any emotional connection with anyone didn't mean she was a nun.

She liked sex…well, more like loved it. It was a great way to partially fulfill the natural need everyone had to feel connected to another person. That was why there was no judgment from her part towards Klaus or Damon. She had had a lot of one night stands before starting her residency to make up for the few she would have once she started work. She knew she wouldn't be having a lot of sex in the following seven years, not only because she would barely have time to survive out of the hospital, but because she would be under her mother's vigilant eyes.

Although they didn't share the roof since Caroline went to Columbia and then Harvard, nothing could be hidden from Elizabeth Forbes. But then Mason happened and they had managed to keep their relationship a secret for many months until they were sloppy one night and one of the nurses saw them retiring to an on call room. That was when Liz found out as well, but her mother didn't have much time to judge for her indiscretion as Caroline successfully avoided her mother for a few days and then Rose happened.

She knew then that she wouldn't be able to escape the fury of the famous Dr. Elizabeth Forbes. Especially after Liz realized that not only was Caroline sleeping with her attending, but that said man was also married. Yet, the confrontation never came. Less than two weeks after Rose worked at the Presbyterian in the twins' case, Liz walked in on her daughter crying in one of the OR's that was being renovated.

Liz had followed Caroline there, but when she saw her daughter so brokenhearted, lying in a stretcher that shouldn't even be there as the room was being painted, she reminded of what it was to have a man choose someone else to be his wife, although in this case Mason already had one. Mason had decided to give his marriage with Rose another chance, and that night had been one of the few times Caroline actually saw any tenderness in her mother's face. Liz even invited Caroline to have dinner with her, but two hours later Elijah was declaring her mother's time of death.

For two minutes Caroline had felt what it was like to have a mother, not someone who disapproved and judged her every decision and action. For two minutes they shared a moment. The last one they would ever share.

Mason had tried to be there for her after Liz passed, even though he was already back with Rose by then, but Caroline declined his help. She couldn't handle two painful situations at the same time, and preferred to rely on Bonnie and Katherine. He gave her the time she asked, and continued to try to work on his relationship with Rose, but that backfired terribly and he only ended up hurting his wife even more. He was too deep in love with Caroline to reconnect with Rose the way they needed to in order to save their already failed marriage. So after only a few weeks he had filed the papers for a divorce. And ever since then he had been chasing Caroline down. They even tried to get back together, but something had been broken between the two of them and it didn't last a week the only week she had before her vacation. She couldn't trust him, he blamed her for never letting him all the way in, in the first place, and they simply didn't work. But that didn't stop him from trying. Every chance he got he pursued her and that was why she was surprised when he suddenly backed off. It wasn't like him to simply give up. And while it helped, it also saddened her. She still loved him and she thought he loved her as well, but he was giving up after just another confrontation, merely four weeks after they had last broken up.

But Caroline had completely misjudged his actions and feelings.

It was killing Mason to keep himself on check around her. He was a persistent man; he had always fought for what he wanted, but Klaus' words kept coming back at him. He knew he had won her out of persistence the first time around. But back then the air between them was playful and light. It included a lot of innocent flirting from both sides, although he always took the chance to make his intentions less innocent. She hadn't buried her mother back then. His estranged wife hadn't started working with them back then.

He knew she needed some time to heal from all the bad things that had happened to her in the past year. When he had asked her for time and space she gave it to him, even though at the end he chose his wife over her, but he knew he needed to give her the same courtesy; even if Klaus needed to open his eyes about it. He had never mentioned what the Mikaelson resident said to him, and he was almost sure neither did Klaus as Caroline never mentioned it either. He would wait for her to make the first move, just like she had waited for him. He just hoped she wouldn't come to such a poor decision as he had. Choosing Rose over Caroline had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life and he hoped he wasn't too late.

Mason never realized he should have talked to her before willingly giving her time to think. But how could he think the blond was just thinking that he had accepted they were over? It broke her heart all over again to know that their love was really lost and gone. They may have only been together for a few months, just half a year, but it had been the best months of her life and now they were over and every time he didn't say more than 'Dr. Forbes' to her when they were in the same room or crossing ways, it proved to her that maybe he didn't love her as much as she loved him back.

If only Klaus had mentioned to Caroline the brief conversation he had with Mason, but the male resident never said a word. Actually, she felt he had also distanced himself from her a little bit the past few days. She wondered if it was because of their unfortunate meeting in her bathroom.

"Good morning," Klaus said, entering the kitchen and cutting off her thoughts about him and Mason.

"Morning," she said with her head lowered. It was rare to see the upbeat girl so down, and he immediately knew something was off.

"Are you okay?" he asked, while he filled his mug of coffee. Caroline couldn't even make coffee, which was why he had happily used what was left of his last payment to buy an espresso machine.

"It's been a month today," she simply answered, remembering the reason why she had been thinking about her crappy life.

Klaus didn't know what to say because he truly thought Caroline deserved better. Since she had started seeing Mason she had been in pain. Of course they had a couple of happy months in which he hid from her he was married, but since then it was downhill, especially on her side. He didn't know how she endured being humiliated by her own mother in the hospital because of her affair, and then losing not only her unfaithful boyfriend, but also her mother.

Yet, somehow the bubbly girl proved to be much stronger than the surface showed. She was tough, even if she was broken, and that was why Klaus thought she deserved better. And while he couldn't say it to her, he wouldn't pretend he was sorry her relationship with Mason was over. He was sorry about her pain not about her loss which he considered a gain in this case. But he needed to say something; he couldn't see her like that, although he didn't know why cared in the first place.

"It'll be okay, sweetheart. Things will be okay. You just need to give it time," he offered, remembering the words he had said to Mason just a week ago, but while it had seemed to be useful to the attending doctor, it didn't seem to comfort her in the least. She didn't utter any word in response, but offered him a small and sad smile before she left the kitchen. He could hear her keys while she unlocked the front door before she yelled, "Do you want a ride?"

"No, thanks," he said taking some cookies that Bonnie had bought the previous week before she left.

* * *

Caroline left the house and headed to the hospital. She didn't know what to do those days. She didn't know what to expect. She wasn't fighting for Mason and she felt she shouldn't because the last year proved their love wasn't meant to be. But what was next? She didn't want to do 'inappropriate' men again, even though she didn't have her mother's scrutinizing eyes watching over her anymore. But then what? She couldn't possibly be in another relationship.

She only found confirmation about her mother's words on love. It was a weakness that led to nothing more than pain and disappointment, and she felt like she couldn't handle another heartbreak in her life. At least she had her job to focus on, and she was thankful it was a very demanding one. It didn't leave much to her mind to remember the pain her heart was enduring.

"Forbes. You're with Dr. Salvatore today," said Rose when she entered the resident's locker room. They had yet to vote for a chief of residency, since the last one abandoned the program altogether, not only his position, so the attending doctors were taking turns giving the residents their assignments.

"Bennett, Dr. Isobel Saltzman; Mikaelson Dr. Lockwood; Abrahams Dr. Alaric Saltzman..." she said giving the 2nd and 3rd year residents their assignments for the day.

Bonnie realized how damaged Caroline was and felt bad for her. They had barely spoken since the brunette had moved out, and it broke her heart to see Caroline in such pain. She had regretted her harsh words to Caroline a week ago, but she couldn't believe she was choosing The Original Evil! But she recognized that she needed to stop being dramatic for two minutes to see her friend that needed her.

"Hey," the dark-skinned doctor said while Caroline was taking her stethoscope.

"Hi," Caroline answered quietly.

"You don't look good," Bonnie concluded from just one word from Caroline.

"Yeah," Caroline vaguely offered.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked brushing Caroline's arm.

"It's been a month since we broke up," the blue-eyed girl admitted with teary eyes.

"Don't you think you still can make it?" her friend asked, looking at the blond with compassion.

"I don't know, Bon. We love each other. He told me I'm the love of his life, but it seems like it'll never work. I don't think I'm good enough for him. Look at his wife; if Rose wasn't good enough for him, how I could be?" she sighed, looking as the confident, talented, admired, and might she add breathtaking beautiful, doctor who continued to give out assignments.

"That's not true. After everything you went through last year, you proved that Caroline Forbes is a strong, amazing, caring woman. I'm so sorry for what you guys are going through. I hope you both figure this out because you deserve to be happy and anyone with a half working eye saw how happy Mason made you before the drama started," Bonnie hugged her friend tenderly.

"I don't know if I want this to work out Bonnie and that's another problem. I don't know what I want to do with my life," the blond admitted.

The two friends stayed in silence for few minutes until Bonnie broke it. "I'm sorry, Care" she simply said. She wanted to say something else, but she couldn't find any words that would actually help her friend.

Caroline didn't show any reaction and Bonnie continued, she knew she owed Caroline and apology. "About our discussion the other day. I know you did the best you could for me and for Stefan and I was selfish about Klaus. You helped him out the same way you helped us. It's your house and you have all rights to live with whoever you want," the hazel-eyed doctor offered sweetly, regretting having put her friend through more pain than necessary. But she also couldn't help how she felt about Klaus, and Stefan felt the same way.

"I didn't do it because it's my house Bonnie. I did it because Klaus is our friend; he's part of this family as well. You, Katherine, Klaus, Stefan are everything I have," Caroline explained, as she took all her strength to keep her tears on their ducts.

"You're our family too," Bonnie offered, hugging her friend again, before she left to find Isobel.

Caroline waited for her interns and headed to the 4th floor where Damon would be within some minutes. She was thankful that she wouldn't be with Mason today. That would be such a cruelty when her day was already awful.

* * *

Damon was about to leave his office when Rose knocked on his door. He invited her in although he needed to leave, actually he should have already left, but he enjoyed making his residents wait for him.

"Hey," Rose said quietly as she entered the room.

"What's up Lockwood?" he asked enthusiastically, as usual.

"Our divorce was finalized today," she simply said, still sounding weak and defeated.

"Rose, you should be happy. You're still young and beautiful, and have a life ahead of you. You shouldn't be with someone that doesn't love you back, that doesn't value you as you should be," the male doctor offered, walking around his desk to be by her side.

"I know. It's just… it hurts. I'm not ready to move on, but being alone sucks and I don't think anyone would like to spend any time with me now anyway," she explained wiping her tears amidst some laughs.

"Hey. You're an excellent surgeon. You're a great woman and you're hot. You're the hot new pediatrician doctor at Presbyterian and no one can take this away from you. You rock, Rose," he said slipping his hand over her arm.

"Yes, I guess you're right," she offered a small smile.

"Of course I'm right. I'm Damon Salvatore," he winked at her.

She smirked at his presumption, but deep inside she knew he was right, not about himself, but about her. She was a successful young surgeon that had accomplished much more than most did at her age. She should be proud of herself and not let her failed marriage destroy her self-esteem. As much as she felt like a failure, she knew Mason was in love with someone else, and that had nothing or little to do with her.

"Let's do this. We get out tonight to celebrate that you're finally free," he offered with his seducing smirk.

"Damon, I really don't think I can do it. It's too soon," she retorted.

"I'm asking you as a friend, Lockwood or should I start calling you Sawyer again? I promise I'll keep you away from my bed. So take it or leave it because this is a one night in a lifetime kind of deal," he winked again.

"As friends?" she asked unsure. She knew she should always know better with Damon, but she was really down and she really needed someone to cheer her up.

"I promise," he answered, but he held a serious face.

"Okay," she agreed, thanking him, kissing his cheek before walking away. "You do know you have interns and a resident waiting for you, right?" she asked smiling softly.

"They have nothing better to do with their time than wait for the great Damon Salvatore," he answered, and she shook her head as he followed her.

* * *

The day passed slowly for Caroline and Rose. They had been broken by the same man and although they had been able to avoid him for the most part of their day it didn't mean he wasn't in their thoughts all the time. Although they were on opposite sides of the mess called Mason Lockwood's love life, they had a lot in common. They were heartbroken and lost, hopeless and devastated. They were also doctors, and that proved they were both successful women. It was just that sometimes that wasn't enough. But they had one last thing in common: good friends willing to do whatever it took to bring their spirits up.

"Caroline. We're going to the Grill, want to join?" asked Klaus, entering the resident's locker room.

"Thanks, but I'm going to go home," she answered while she stood in front of her locker.

"Sweetheart, you need some distraction, maybe some tequila," he said, "Come with us. It'll do you good," he insisted.

"I need to be there for Katherine, she had the day off. I need to check on her," she partially used her best friend messed up life as an excuse to drown in her own depressive thoughts.

"I don't need to be checked on," Katherine said entering the room "I'm just fine. You're the one with the crappy life. I came to hang out with you at the Grill and you will go, now move your lazy ass from that bench and come with me. You've been such a whining baby and I need tequila to deal with you these days. I can't listen to you one more day without alcohol. So let's go to the Grill and get drunk," Katherine moved to where her best friend was and taking her arm she literally pulled Caroline away towards the bar across the street. Maybe getting drunk wouldn't be the wisest way to deal with her pain, but she wouldn't mind being numb at the moment.

* * *

_AN: sorry for still writing a lot of narrative and descriptive paragraphs, but I'm still providing important information for readers to know where the characters stand. This chapter had a little bit less than the prologue, and I believe next chapter is already what I would call normal to my style of writing. I describe characters' feelings a lot, I'm a descriptive kind of author, but not about places or clothes, instead I go into their thoughts and emotions as much as I can so the reader can "enter" their mind. Who already read my DE stories knows my style, so I'll always have a lot of paragraphs either way, it's just now it's a bit too much because this is needed._

_I'll defend two characters I think made people grimace in this chapter: put yourself in Bonnie's shoes. They don't know Klaus that much, he had been living there for only a bit over than two months, and he had had violence episodes and now started bringing strangers to the house. This is NYC people, so I understand her reaction, although she was a bit of a drama queen and selfish, leaving Caroline alone with what she considered unknown or even ' a crazy British psycho'.  
_

_Don't mind Katherine. She treated Caroline the way she knew she had for her friend to react. She came from her house (on her day off! last thing a doc wants is to go to the hospital in their day off) to hang with them because she knew it had been a month and she wanted to be there for Caroline, it's just Katherine's inability to deal with too emotionally charged situations that makes her sort of harsh with her words. Trust me, Caroline don't mind it.  
_

_Please, leave a review and make a writer happy!  
_

_Huge thanks to my new beta - who was amazingly kind and also edited the prologue for me - **Erin.** You've been God-sent, sweetie.  
_

_Have a nice week you all,  
_

_xoxo  
_

_Babi  
_


	3. Chapter II

.

**An Unlike Match**

**Chapter II**

* * *

On the way to the bar Caroline reevaluated her decision and decided she would deal with things like the adult she was. It'd been a long time since she was a teenager who could drink into oblivion to forget about her problems. Nothing would make her forget Mason, no matter the amount of alcohol, and she didn't want to deal with a hangover in the morning, as she had to work and be early at the hospital.

Klaus and Caroline went to the back of the bar to save them a table before all of the Presbyterian staff crowded the bar, while Katherine went straight to the bar to get their drinks.

"Get drunk sooner. So we can enjoy the night," she said to Caroline as she placed the four shots of tequila on the table, along with Klaus' whiskey.

"I'm not drinking tonight," Caroline answered depressively.

"Seriously, Forbes? Give us a break and get drunk. I can even pick you a nice guy. Do you do nurses? There is this new hot nurse and I think I just saw him at the bar," Katherine offered impatiently as she downed her first shot of tequila. She wanted to be there for Caroline and she knew the blond was much more sensitive and fragile than she was, but she could barely contain the pain she felt. She had met Elijah twice and even had to work with him briefly today. He seemed like his usual collected self, and she looked like her cold one, but deep inside she was breaking into millions of needed the alcohol otherwise she would be crying— and Katherine Pierce didn't cry.

Caroline roller her eyes, but only reached to some nuts that had already been placed on the table.

* * *

At the other side of the bar were Damon and Rose. Her giggles could be heard all over the place. She was totally drunk and Damon was making some very funny jokes about her divorce.

"Seriously, Damon, we should definitely hang out more. I had forgotten you're such a blessing," she giggled once again, showing how drunk she already was.

"Rose, I had a great time, but I do think I should get you home. C'mon, let's go, I've already covered the tab," he offered, moving to his old friend's side, offering his arm and chest for her to rely on.

"No! I don't want to leave, I'm having fun. I haven't had fun like this since… I can't even remember! Don't ruin it!" she begged, almost sad at the realization that it had been indeed a very long time since she had had fun. She couldn't even remember it anymore, but she was sure it didn't involve Mason.

"Okay, but I already paid the tab so you're having no more alcohol," he clarified, knowing she wouldn't object. She was usually even sweeter when she was drunk. He would never understand why Mason didn't give this woman what she deserved.

"So let's dance," she said excitedly, pulling him towards the center of the bar.

"Rose looks ravishing," Klaus said, looking at Damon and Rose dancing. For a moment he forgot she was Mason's ex-wife, but Bonnie who had arrived a few minutes ago with Stefan made sure to remind him. "The guys were saying they would all become kids again if only Dr. Lockwood had her hands on them, I'll definitely join the line,"

"Klaus!" the brunette said hitting his arm, and tilting her head towards Caroline, who tried to ignore the pair on the dance floor, but Caroline's long glances at the pair clearly proved her inability to ignore them.

"What? Look how she's dancing with Salvatore. She's enticing. I heard nurses saying earlier that she was going to use her maiden name, Sawyer I guess, it fits her," he said smirking and sipping his bear. He hadn't even looked at Bonnie when she had talked to him, so he was still unaware of Caroline's gaze at the couple. Actually he honestly didn't remember Rose was a sore spot for Caroline, he only related the blonde's pain to Mason.

"I'm leaving," Caroline said with a small voice.

"Me too," Stefan followed suit. He had always had a small spot for Rose when he was younger. Even though she was five years older than him, he hated to see his brother taking advantage of someone he dared to call his friend. He wanted to rescue the blond from Damon's predatory clutch, but he hadn't really talk to Rose since she married Mason, and he didn't feel like she would listen to him, as she was clearly drunk.

"Why? No, we can sit at another table," Bonnie answered while she narrowed her eyes at Klaus who was still entertained by the pair on the dance floor. Actually he hadn't listened to Caroline's low tone because of the loud music, and he didn't mind Bonnie and Stefan leaving at all. If anything, it would be a pleasure to have the two kill joys gone.

"No, I'm leaving because I'm tired and I'm not in the mood to drink and watch my stupid brother taking advantage of another innocent girl," Stefan offered, standing up and walking away.

Bonnie followed him sending deadly glares towards Klaus who was still oblivious to the tense air at the table, as he kept his back to Caroline and Katherine.

"So now the fun will start. Those two are just annoying," he simply said taking another gulp from his beer.

* * *

The three were finally talking, now that Damon had finally been able to take Rose to her apartment. Well, Katherine and Klaus talked - Caroline wasn't in the mood for the small conversation. But her night worsened considerably and her heart almost stopped when she saw Mason entering the bar with a beautiful blonde woman. She certainly wasn't any of the doctors or nurses at the hospital because a face like that wasn't easy to forget. He didn't notice Caroline's presence and sat at a table close to the door. He helped the stranger with her coat and fixed her hair a bit, showing her affection in a way he had never showed— or even helped —her and it hurt a lot. They seemed to be having a lot of fun, with the woman giggling and slipping her hands over his arms many times. Now she understood why he had stopped pursuing her all of sudden.

Caroline looked to the shots of tequila in front of her and didn't think twice. She emptied one glass after the other and asked the waiter to bring her more.

"Maybe now you'll be a little less annoying," Katherine said, not noticing Mason as her back was turn to the bar's entrance.

"I think you should slow down, sweetheart," Klaus suggested, worried about Caroline's sudden change of mood, seeing her take the third shot from the waiter's tray even before he put it on their table.

"Seriously Klaus, did you take Bonnie place? I don't know what your problem is, you guys don't seem to know how to have any fun at all," Katherine complained. She was relieved to know Caroline was finally reacting. It wasn't like she approved of getting drunk out of depression, but she was really concerned about Caroline's previous lack of reaction, especially after Damon took Rose to the dance floor. And Caroline didn't slow her drinking down, even though Mason didn't stay at the bar for too long. It was like he only went there to show her he was moving on. A thought that urged Caroline on to drink more.

Klaus on the other hand had only drank the glass of whiskey Katherine had brought him and a couple of beers some time later. He wasn't in the mood to have a hangover in the morning, as he had to be at the hospital at six. And now, as he saw Caroline emptying her fifth shot, he was happy he wasn't drunk. Although, if the police stopped them his breath would say he was definitely under the influence. But he stood his alcohol just fine and he could easily drive them home as she clearly wasn't in any condition to drive.

Caroline wasn't thinking about going home at all. She had drank seven shots of tequila in less than twenty minutes and she didn't say a word since Mason had left five minutes ago.

"What the hell is wrong with you Caroline?" Katherine asked, "Okay, go ahead and do the Mason talking," Katherine rolled her eyes, but deep inside she was getting worried about Caroline now.

"I don't want to talk about it. He's a bastard that is over the love of his life after one month," the blond answered bitterly.

"He's an ass," Klaus shrugged.

"He's an idiot," completed Katherine.

"He is Mr. Douchebag. That's what he is," said Caroline smirking and downing another shot, her eighth.

"He and Elijah would make a perfect team. The Sons of Bitches team," Katherine offered, laughing out loud.

"We're just too good for them. And too hot, definitely too hot," Caroline said giggling, any rational thought completely vanished from her mind.

"Not to mention we were the ones to rock their world in bed," Katherine completed, and Caroline high fived her best friend.

"Can't they handle their women when they're tough, have a career and aren't easily broken?" Caroline said getting the ninth shot as the waiter long ago left the bottle for her and Katherine, who had joined in the rapid fire of shot after shot.

"Yeah, did they forget we are OR rock stars?" Katherine agreed with her friend as she also emptied her glass again.

"I'm sorry to ruin your great round of compliments to Lockwood and my brother, sweethearts, but I think it's best that I drive you both home now," said Klaus throwing some bills on the table, knowing that if it wasn't enough to cover their tab, Matt would let him know later. He was surprised to see Katherine, and especially Caroline, dismiss his brother so easily in front of him. Granted they were both drunk as skunks, and probably had lost their sanity after their fifth shot, with the speed they had been going. He had always avoided talking about his brother, and nobody ever understood how they could be brothers if they never exchanged words in addition to working together in the same place for the past year. But right now he had to take care of the drunk women in front of him, moving them under each of his arms, he helped them walk out of the bar.

* * *

Their cars would stay at the hospital for the night, and he would take them to his and head home. Katherine informed him she wanted to sleep at her place because Caroline was always sorry in the morning, and it usually made her even more annoying and whiny, to which Caroline didn't show any reaction to but a fit of giggles. Klaus left Katherine at her apartment and went to Caroline's house. She was already passed out on the backseat. When they arrived he had to carry her upstairs as she slept on, dead to the world. She awoke when he reached the top of the stairs, and she said she could walk, which he doubted, but he still brought her to her feet. She seemed to be extremely alert all of sudden because she had barely landed on the floor before she was running to the bathroom, throwing up all of the contents of her stomach. After she was done, and felt even emptier than before, and she started to cry and sob uncontrollably and continuously next to the toilet.

Klaus went to his bedroom and changed his clothes to a tank top and pajama pants when he heard Caroline's sobs. He thought for a moment of what his next action should be. He had never been good with crying women, but it didn't seem like he had another option if he wanted to get any sleep that night.

She was a mess, her hair and her top had vomit on it. He tried to make her react, but she couldn't, and feeling frustrated and annoyed he knew what he had to do. He took her top off, threw it on the floor, and left her in only her bra and jeans.

"C'mon, love. You need to take a shower. You look and smell terribly," he said trying to make her stand up. She didn't stop crying, but she was calmer. He took her to her bedroom and asked her to take off her jeans and dress in the cotton shorts he had collected from a nearby chair. He knew that they were the ones she usually slept in during the hot New York summer night. While he gave her time – and privacy – to change, he went to her bathroom and turned the shower on.

When he came back she was already in her tank top and shorts, sitting on the floor with her head buried in her hands and her elbows resting on her knees. He called her, but she didn't react. She was motionless on her bedroom's floor. He carefully helped her to stand up, before leading her into the shower and cleaning her up. Her skin was as soft as he had imagined it to be the last time he had been in the same bathroom as her. She was motionless, but he could see tears were falling from her eyes. He had to wash her hair, so he took the strawberry and champagne shampoo and conditioner that were standing nearby and quickly washed and rinsed her hair. After he finished showering the exposed skin and washing her hair, he wrapped a towel around her and her soaked clothes.

"Now take off these soaked clothes, and let's be clear here: I won't ever do it again, so if you want to drink your liver off again, go ahead, but next time you will sleep in your vomit pool," he coolly said leaving her bedroom.

Caroline took her clothes off, but didn't bother finding something else to sleep in, instead grabbing an old t-shirt and underwear that had been left on scattered on the floor. She moved to sit on her bed letting the tears fall as she looked off into space.

Klaus was coming from the kitchen to his bedroom when he saw her through the sliding door. He felt bad for her, especially the way he had treated her just minutes ago. She had showed compassion to him once. The least he could do was return the favor. He went back to the kitchen and made a mug of espresso for her, no sugar. He knew she hated it, but she needed something strong to help her with the hangover that had most likely already started. As he walked towards her bedroom he tried to understand why he was bothering. He tried to convince himself that it was only out of gratitude, but he was slightly bothered by the feelings he had at the moment.

He entered the room to find her in the same position since he left. It looked as if she hadn't even blinked while she had been sitting there.

"Take it, love" he said handing her the mug.

The smell of her conditioner spread over his nostrils and for the first time he realized how good it was. She took the mug, but didn't make any move to drink from it.

There had been a fight inside him. A voice was telling him to leave her to solve her problems on her own. Another voice told him she needed him. Probably something happened that neither he nor Katherine realized because the thirty minutes before they had left she had been just fine, albeit drinking her soda quietly. He couldn't decide whether he should leave or not. He wasn't use to doing these types of things for anyone, but Caroline was different. Finally he gave up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Caroline unconsciously bent her head over his shoulder and started to sob again.

"He… He… He… was… her… they… there," she babbled trying to form a coherent thought, but failing completely.

"Shhh" he said softly, slipping his index finger over her lips, "He's an idiot, Caroline, that didn't know how to be with a woman like you," he offered honestly, while his other hand stroked her wet hair.

They stayed in the bed for some minutes until she finally fell asleep. When Klaus heard the light snoring he carefully went to lay her down on the bed. His legs straddled her sides hesitantly when his knee slipped to the side, corrupting his balance. Leaning on his elbows he found himself just inches away from her. Once again he felt shivers go down his spine. He could feel her warm breath on his lips and the sweet smell of her hair. She didn't look nice at the moment, as broken as she was tonight, regardless; she looked beautiful in his eyes. He could see her fragility and vulnerability. He could almost feel her pain. He brushed away some of her hair that was sprawled across the pillow and a difficult reality hit Klaus Mikaelson. He _cared_ about her, but he wasn't supposed to care about anyone. It was there in him, but he didn't know how to show it properly. He would always feel like he had failed the most important girl in his life. But as he looked at Caroline's broken figure, his heart broke a little bit for her. She had nobody else. She was alone and broken, but he wasn't the guy to take care of her, even if he wanted to be. He kissed her cheek and covered her with the blanket before leaving her bedroom, more confused than ever.

* * *

In the morning Caroline woke up with the mother of all hangovers. Her head hurt badly and she could barely open her eyes. She felt like a truck had run over her body time after time, after time, after time…

"Damn it," she cursed, "Idiot," she yelled, "What the fuck?" she cried out. Frustration didn't even start to cover it. And her patience was already running thin.

"Hey. Need any help over there, sweetheart? Maybe a tequila shot?" asked Klaus entering her room, showing his dimples. She wanted to kill him for the comment, but how could she commit homicide on those dimples? It was like killing a puppy; impossible.

"Go to hell Klaus" she answered, trying to do her shoestring, "Damned small holes. Shit," she continued to curse.

Her headache was so bad that it almost blinded her.

"You look like crap," he smirked, leaning against the doorframe.

She stared at him with anger in her red, puff eyes. If looks could kill, he'd be a dead man, dimples or no dimples. But as she didn't have strength to be homicidal, she settled for just throwing her converse at him, deciding to wear her crocs instead. She didn't know why she didn't go to them in the first place.

"Hey! This is not how I expect you to thank me for showering you last night," he protested, dodging the flying shoe. She didn't have a good aim while sober, but somehow it improved when she was hangover.

"Did you shower me?" she asked frightened. Was she that bad last night? Everything was a blur, except for Mason and his Barbie model. He really loved blondes it seemed.

"And also cleaned your vomit in the bathroom because the stink was all over the house," he grimaced in disgust. He hated those things, and he didn't feel bad for one second for always yelling at the nurses to clean his patients' vomit. That was what they were there for and he had no remorse letting them know it.

"I should go back to Raleigh," Caroline mentioned the city where she went for med-school. At the time she wanted nothing more than to be as far away from Liz as possible without compromising her studies. She exchanged Columbia for Duke, where she had also been accepted, just after a couple of semesters. "I mean, I can't stand to be at the same hospital, the same bar, or the same city as him. My boyfriend chose his wife over me, although I didn't know he had one, my mother is dead and my father hates me, I have a clueless sister working at the same hospital as me. I have no reason to stay, and so many reasons to leave," she summarized her problems, trying hard not to feel sorry for herself.

Klaus didn't know what to say. In fact, that happened often in the last few weeks and he didn't like the feeling. But without anything better to say he just muttered, 'Sorry', caressing her arm, before leaving her bedroom.

With a few more curses, she finally finished getting ready for work before going downstairs and pouring herself a big cup of coffee. She hoped it would help with her terrible and annoying hangover.

* * *

When she arrived at the hospital she recognized the same woman from the previous night. She was tall and skinny with beautiful sexy, uncombed, long blond hair and crystal blue eyes. She looked like a supermodel, or a Hollywood star. Just what she needed, Scarlett Johansson as competition, even if the blond standing a few feet from her couldn't be more different from the famous actress.

Caroline had to pass by her, as she talked to Alaric, her sexy, but sweet voice saying something about a surgery. It couldn't be happening. Would Barbie start working there with them? The woman wasn't in her scrubs, but she wore a lab coat over her flawless yellow dress, while her purse rested on the counter by the nurse station. She was dressed even more powerfully than Rose usually did and Caroline had to admit, she had always envied Rose's haute couture clothes and shoes. She didn't even looked like a doctor, her hair and makeup were always perfect, even if she worked with kids. But Mason's new girl couldn't be compared... Her hair and skin were flawless and she looked perfect in her high heels. How could she compete with someone like that? She was happy, bright and _shinning_. She was the kind of person anyone would want to be around. She made everything around her pleasant. The stranger was cheerful, but not in the fake way Caroline had always been. The new girl was, simply put, joyous.

Caroline ignored the pain in her chest and headed to resident locker room and put her scrubs on very quickly so she wouldn't be late. She had to meet her interns at the nurses' station and find out who she was going to work with.

"Did you know Dr. Isobel Stevens is now on Presbyterian?" Klaus said with a smirk on his face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Katherine asked completely clueless of who this Dr. Stevens could be.

"What did you do on Thursdays night when you were in med-school?" he asked rolling his eyes. He knew it was a girly show, but he enjoyed the pretty women on his screen and he would rather watch a medical show than the always predictable criminal investigation. He'd prefer House over Grey's Anatomy, but Thirteen couldn't compare to Izzie.

"What's the problem with you guys? Take care of your silly lives and let it be. What if the new doctor seems like a supermodel, hot as Scarlett Johansson? Correction. Even hotter than Scarlett Johansson— as if that was even possible to start with. Seriously I should find a new hospital where people are concerned about saving lives instead of sleeping with hot doctors. Where the hell do those women keep coming from? Isn't there a hospital with ugly people?" Caroline ranted, and stormed out, looking for the doctor that would give their assignments for the day. Couldn't the hospital pick a chief of residency already? She never knew who to talk with when she missed them in the locker room.

Klaus looked at Katherine confused, but the brunette just shrugged.

"Don't look at me. I have no idea who this Dr. Stevens is. Is she a cardio at least? I wish I had someone else to look up to other than your brother," she asked, appraising the doctor again and just shaking her head. She indeed looked like a model – which unlike Caroline, Katherine had no problem with – but she also looked liked she had just finished high school. She was definitely not someone that she would look up to.

"Seriously, Pierce you should watch some TV or catch a breath outside of this hospital," Klaus shook his head, taking the opposite side Caroline just went. He had to take a closer look at the new doctor.

* * *

Caroline headed to the chief's office although she knew she would probably cross paths with Dr. Johansson, but she had to let Alaric know she wanted to transfer her residency. As soon as possible preferably.

"Sorry, Dr. Forbes but Dr. Saltzman doesn't have any spots open today. He's also very busy tomorrow, but we can schedule you in Friday. How does that sound to you?" Suzan asked as she checked her computer screen.

"Fine. Whatever," Caroline answered, and the old secretary frowned slightly. Liz's daughter had always been so polite and sweet, her tone was odd and off from the usual character of the beautiful blond.

"Anyway, he's with Dr. Van der Woodsen right now. I think they're meeting Drs. Lockwood and Salvatore. You can check with him, maybe he can find a spot for you between surgeries and meetings," the assistant offered, but Caroline never answered. Of course Mason was already trying to work his magic to have his new girlfriend work with him. And his old buddy Damon, who was also buddy-buddy with Alaric, was there to help. With friends like that, who needed enemies?

* * *

It hadn't been an easy day for Caroline's interns. Her headache never went away, although the hangover did, and neither did Dr. Van der Woodsen. What sort of fancy name was that? Couldn't the girl be a Smith or a Johnson? No, someone looking that perfect had to go and have such an upscale last name. She wondered what her first name was, definitely not Ann or Tiffany. No, she probably had a foreign name or something like Blair, Aria or Scarlett. Maybe she was named after a famous and breathtaking princess abroad? Caroline yelled at her interns again, feeling like they were even more stupid and clueless today than any other. But she knew how to punish them. Two of them were busy filling paperwork and doing rectal all day long. Stefan realized his friend wasn't okay, but he didn't try to ask anything. He didn't want to take the chance of having to feelan old men's assholes, so he simply faded into the background quietly.

"What?" Caroline asked yelling at one of her interns, as she approached her.

"Test results for Mr. Jones, room 3425," the young girl answered with shaky hands holding the white envelope.

"Give me it and just scram. I'm not in a good day and you're certainly not helping." Caroline answered irritated, taking the envelope from the girls' hands without bothering to look at her.

"That was harsh, don't you think?" Damon asked, moving to stand by her side at the nurse station.

"What do you want?" Caroline asked without look up from the lab results she just received.

"Hey, Forbes. Slow down, I'm your boss here. Actually the boss of your boss, if I might remind you," Damon smirked, thinking it was probably PMS.

"Do you need anything Dr. Salvatore? I mean, in addition to the private meetings with Dr. Van der Woodsen?" she asked barely covering her sarcasm.

"So have you met S?" he kept his smirk, although he didn't know how Serena could have irritated Caroline already. The older blond was probably the sweetest person he had ever met.

"Seriously, do you need anything or not?" she asked tiredly, after she had finished reading the test results. At least the patient would be okay.

"Yeah. I need a resident in my 3pm surgery and you're the lucky one. Be ready and don't make me regret this more than you already did. It will blow your mind," he said, with an arrogant grin flashing on his face. Today was one of those days he was going to do his magic, he knew some interns and residents were already making moves to clear their schedules to watch him from the gallery.

"Fine," Caroline answered annoyed before walking away to give the results to Elijah, after all he was the attending responsible for Mr. Jones.

* * *

Caroline scrubbed in, and walked into the OR where Damon and 'S' were already talking. 'S' could definitely stand for Scarlett. Now wasn't it a freaking coincidence she had the same name as the actress Caroline wouldn't let go? Maybe it was because she had watched a movie with Ms. Johansson in the past weekend? Because the more she looked at 'S' the less similarities she could find between the doctor and the actress, except for the color of their eyes and hair.

"Good afternoon team. Let's make some beauty," she said winking to Damon, a contagious and bright smile on her face that definitely lighted the room.

Dr. Van der Woodsen was very talented. She did a flawless job while working alongside with Damon. Caroline was surprised, especially because she didn't seem much older than Caroline. In fact she looked a little bit younger.

"S you should definitely transfer to Presbyterian. You know I'm the best so I could teach you anything your heart desired," Damon offered, sounding as serious as a heart attack. Caroline wanted to punch him in the face. Could he be any more obvious as a wingman to Mason than that?

"Well, try to convince my chief. I didn't even finish my sixth year and he already started talking about not only keeping me at the hospital, but being the next chief in a few years," Dr. Van der Woodsen answered, somewhat shy admitting she had received such an offer.

"Well if it was a 'she' maybe I could use my extracurricular and not less exceptional skills to help you, but a Anthon? I don't think my charms will work on him, but you never know… This is how much I love you S, because that guy is creepy and well… a guy," Damon grimaced, making it clear that there were images in his head. Serena couldn't stop herself and just giggled, her light laughs echoing through the OR. It made Caroline silently groan. Did she have to be this cheery?

"I'm glad you love me enough to invite me to this surgery. I've never had a chance like this before in my years at the Sinai. I must be very fortunate if the almighty doctor Damon Salvatore even remembers I exist, let alone invite me in for such a complicated skin craft," the foreign resident smiled at her friend. It was clear to anyone in the OR they had known each other before, and by the touches and jokes that kept coming in the past two hours, they seemed to be quite close.

Caroline rolled her eyes begging the babble to stop. She was starting to like Dr. Van der Woodsen and she wasn't supposed to fraternize with the enemy. Enemies because she now suspected that Damon had been the one to introduce Mason and 'S'. Every time her mind called the beautiful blond 'S', Caroline felt an urge to roll her eyes and grimace. It was an annoying nickname. The perfect creature standing by her side finally showed a flaw. Nobody decent would like being called 'S'.

"I guess this is it doctors? I wasn't with Dr. Salvatore today and I have to scrub into a surgery with Dr. Mikaelson," the younger resident asked, although they were still taking care of the last procedures before releasing the patient to the recovery room.

"No, Dr. Forbes, I appreciated your help. You did a good job today," the other blond answered, sounding honest and showing another of blinding bright smiles.

"Thank you, Dr. Van der Woodsen. It was a pleasure to work with you and Dr. Salvatore. You're both impressive," Caroline answered just as politely because the woman was just impossible to hate. At least Mason knew how to pick nice women and not bitches. Rose was a really sweet woman, who had always been gentle and sweet towards Caroline, more than any mistress deserved. Though the resident made sure to clear the waters between them in a very awkward conversation where she explained she had no idea Mason was married. But even before the odd conversation, Rose had never been mean to Caroline in the week she worked at the hospital.

"Thank you," Dr. Van der Woodsen answered, with a shy smile.

"I know," Damon smiled broadly.

Both women laughed, and rolled their eyes at Damon. He had an ego bigger than the Presbyterian.

* * *

Almost at the end of their shifts, Caroline found herself once again staring at the beautiful Dr. Van der Woodsen, who was now being all cheery and touching with Mason, while they talked in the lobby. Caroline tried to look away, and pay attention at the notes she was adding to her patient's chart, but the pair was quite distracting, not only with girl's loud laughs, but especially because of their breathtaking features. There wasn't a person that entered or left the hospital that didn't turn their necks to keep looking at the dashing couple. You don't see people that beautiful in a place like a hospital.

"Dr. Forbes," Rose offered quietly, following the younger doctor's gaze, and lowering her own.

"Dr. Lockwood," Caroline answered politely. She needed to start hating on Mason's wives and girlfriends, but as she noticed the sad look Rose held, it became really hard.

"It's Dr. Sawyer now, actually," Rose offered with a small smile.

"Sorry, Dr. Loc… Sawyer, I had no idea, I swear, I guess I heard someone saying something about you maybe changing your name, but I was too drunk to notice, I guess," Caroline rambled, but wanting nothing more than to have the floor swallow her whole. She was always saying stupid things at the wrong times. Why didn't she pay more attention to Klaus when he mentioned it? She had a vague memory, but even if she remembered what he had said about Rose not being a Lockwood anymore, she would never be able to remember the doctor's maiden name.

"Why don't you call me Rose? I've never liked my name, always thought it was too much, and tasteless, but suddenly it seems more appealing than my last name," the hazel-eyed doctor offered trying to smile like she meant it, but Caroline realized it was a façade and just like herself, the older doctor didn't seem to be able to keep stealing looks at the couple in the lobby.

"I don't like Caroline either. Or Forbes. I wish my family name was something more powerful you know? Like Dr. Van der… Van Damme or something," Caroline tried to cover her jealousy over even the new girl's last name.

"Van Damme? Really? He used to be hot back in my day. But so did Schwarzenegger. God, I'm old," the taller woman laughed lightly and for the first time during the day, and it was actually genuine.

"You're far from old, Dr. Sawyer. We don't need to look like we're fresh out of college to feel young," she offered almost bitterly, while she looked at the hot pair that was now walking out of the hospital together, Mason's arm actually moving to Dr. Van der Woodsen's shoulder.

"I guess you're right," Rose sighed, also noticing the pair's departure.

"Dr. Lockwood," one of the interns called, approaching the blonds.

"It's Sawyer now," Caroline and Rose said together.

"Sorry," the young man answered embarrassed.

"I just had to buy half dozen new lab coats when my old ones weren't old at all. I have a badge hanging around my neck. Ugh, don't doctors and nurses actually need to know how to read before going to college? I thought it was a prerequisite actually," the attending answered frustrated.

"I'm sorry, Dr…." she said checking the intern's badge, although she wasn't doing it on purpose, "Dr. Abrahams, I know old habits die hard, although you're an intern and have only known me for a few weeks. It's just I'm having a really bad day. So I apologize for my rude words. How can I help you?" Rose turned her full attention to the young man that seemed relieved to hear her apology. He didn't want to make another attending mad at him that week. Rose would be the third he would have enraged and it was only Wednesday.

"Actually I heard about you long before I started working here, Dr. Sawyer. You're a reference already in pediatric surgery in the city, and it's very admirable because you've achieved the recognition at such an early age," the guy answered in a rush. But although he had just made up for all the stupidities he would say and do to Rose for the rest of his residency, his words didn't seem forced, his admiration for Rose was genuine.

The two doctors started to talk and Caroline observed them. Rose wasn't only beautiful and talented. She was quite approachable and humble, the latter a very difficult trait to find in surgeons, especially around the Presbyterian. Surely not all of them were Damon's standards, but most thought they were some kind of god. Caroline couldn't stand it about her fellow colleagues, but seeing at how frequent it was, she didn't mind it anymore.

"Dr. Forbes," Rose said for the third time.

"Yes," Caroline answered finally ignoring her thoughts.

"I know things should be awkward between the two of us. But we work at the same hospital, and I've always been under the impression that you're a nice girl. So I really hope we can somehow leave what Mason did to both us behind. I know you had no idea about me, and I had no idea about you. I also know that we'll never be friends, but you don't need to feel guilty around me, okay?" Rose offered, and Caroline almost had to collect her jaw from the floor. See? This is what she was thinking about. Why did Rose have to be so nice and sweet?

"Sure, Dr. Sawyer," the younger blond smiled

"We've only worked together a handful of times, but I can already say you're very talented in my field. It would be a pleasure to be your mentor if you ever decide for peds," Rose offered with a smile, and Caroline wanted to punch her for being so nice.

"Thanks, but I'm thinking about neuro…" Caroline answered automatically, only realizing after the words were out that in that case her mentor would be Mason. Why did she have to make every other situation awkward? Rose was actually putting an effort here, and once more Caroline found her big mouth ruining things.

"I have no doubt you're one of the few residents that could actually face that challenge. You know what they say, the brain is a mystery and Dr. Lockwood is actually a great teacher, so I would say you have a great career ahead of you," Rose's smiled faded, but she somehow pulled another one out by the time she finished, looking away from Caroline slightly.

"Thanks, Dr. Sawyer," _Dr. Rose_-_Very-Hard-to-Hate-Sawyer,_ Caroline completed the rest in her mind.

"I have no doubts you'll honor the Forbes name. Your mother would be proud of you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check the patient Dr. Abrahams came to talk to me about. Have a good night," Rose offered leaving, and only then Caroline realized the intern wasn't there with them anymore.

How could she hate a woman like that? If anything Caroline would move on from Mason with Rose. The woman was too nice for her own good, although Caroline finally found a flaw in the otherwise rather perfect doctor. Everyone who worked at that hospital knew that Caroline had always been a disappointment for her mother. But she was going to give Rose the benefit of the doubt. She was sort of new at the Presbyterian and she wouldn't blame the pediatrician if she tried to keep herself far from the gossip machine. After all, she had been the target of the cruelest gossip in that hospital for the past few months. Well, maybe Caroline received the cruelest, but as Mason and Caroline had always been the perfect couple, the nurses soon took the resident's side, although Rose was as much a victim as the younger doctor.

* * *

"Hey, I'm going home do you want a ride?" Caroline asked Klaus, as she entered the residents' locker room after her _awkward,_ but also comforting conversation with Rose.

"I'm not going home tonight, thanks sweetheart," he answered putting away his sketch pad in his locker, before locking it.

"I thought you weren't on call tonight," Caroline frowned, as she started peeling off her lab coat.

"I'm not," he smirked, and she knew better than to ask more.

"Got it," she answered with a light smile on her face.

"Actually, don't wait me for the rest of the week," Klaus winked, while he sported his famous and mischievous smirk.

"Oh… okay," she said a little disappointed. She felt less lonely with him around; although he made himself very clear he wouldn't babysit her after last night.

Both went to the parking lot and Caroline saw a woman waiting by his car. She couldn't identify who it was, but it would be better if she didn't. She had nothing to do with Klaus' sexual life.

"See you tomorrow then," she said while Klaus disappeared towards the back of the parking lot.

This was yet another proof that New York wouldn't do it for her anymore. She couldn't hope for her friends to stop their lives, their normal and happy lives, to be miserable with her. She opened her car's door knowing she would be alone tonight. For a moment she wished she was the one in Mason's arms tonight.

* * *

_AN: I LOVE Blake Lively, so I couldn't help. Hope you don't mind._

_Also there's no bad guy in this story, only flawed people who made mistakes, so I'm going to make Rose, Mason and others likeable.  
_

_I received much less reviews last chapter, how about you make me happy?  
_

_Huge thanks to my reviewers, though, and also to my lovely beta, **Erin.**  
_

_xoxo  
_

_Babi  
_


	4. Chapter III

.

**An Unlike Match**

**Chapter III**

* * *

On Thursday Caroline wasn't surprised to see Dr. Van der Woodsen and Mason together again. Actually, they arrived together at the hospital, flashing their always ever so present – and annoying – smiles. Caroline rolled her eyes, _so much for being miserable_, she thought. How could she ever begin to believe him when he said he was miserable without her just a month ago when they had broken up, if now he was rubbing his new hot girlfriend in everyone's face? At least with Rose he tried to act more collected, but probably at the sweet pediatricians' suggestion. Mason was showing his true colors. He had no consideration for anyone's feelings.

She tried to ignore the sting in her heart as she headed to the residents' locker room. She needed to find Klaus. She knew he was going to be on call tonight, while she wouldn't, and she had to let him know about her changing living arrangements as soon as possible. Finding a good place to live in New York wasn't easy, especially if you were a doctor, who had to preferably live near the hospital you worked at if you wanted to do anything else in your life in addition to driving to and from work. Also, Klaus didn't have a lot of money to pay rent – residency's wages were really low, especially in an expensive city like New York. That was something about Klaus that Caroline never understood.

His own brother owned half a million dollars in cars, used to live in a very luxurious bachelor pad in Manhattan, and he seemed to have no problem to lend it to Katherine while he lived in a very expensive flat by the corner of the Presbyterian. How could Elijah afford so many things and Klaus couldn't? Of course, Elijah was already an attending, while Klaus was a second year resident, but Katherine had also commented in the past that Elijah's state in England was breathtaking according to the pictures she saw at his apartment. She said it looked like a castle and later she talked about their link to the royal family. Caroline was sure Elijah wasn't the one who provided his family such fancy living places. He was an attending, but he was still only thirty-six. Even if he was now the chief of cardio-surgery in the most important hospital in New York, he was still new in the position and those things were prior to his promotion. They probably came from money, but then why did Klaus save money even for his lunch?

Caroline was thankful to find Klaus in his usual spot, at the back of the room, with his inseparable sketch book. Sometimes she wondered if he had a second career as an artist, or at least planned to have one once he was done with his residency. He seemed to draw every waking minute he wasn't working or eating, and she had seen him enter the house with canvases on numerous occasions.

"Klaus, we need to talk," she said with a serious tone, the only kind appropriate for the conversation they were about to have.

"Sure, sweetheart, what is it?" he answered gently, as he did most of time. He was very cold with the hospital staff, especially his interns, but he had always been a gentleman to the girls, at least until he slept with them and pretended they had never met from there on. But he had always been sweet to their gang.

"Would you mind if we talk in an on call room? I don't want anyone else to know about what I want to discuss. You know how gossip gets around here," she asked looking around them at the empty room. People walked around and could overhear, or someone could enter at any moment.

"I don't know how to speak girl, sweetheart. I don't understand you – women – so I may not be very useful," he flashed his dimples, and Caroline felt a sadness taking over. She was going to miss her friends. They became her family in the past twelve months.

They walked to the closest on call room and closed it behind them before she sat on the bed and sighed heavily.

"I'm leaving Klaus. I'll be talking to the Chief tomorrow and I'll ask him for a recommendation letter in hopes that I can enter Duke's residency program. The teachers really liked me there, and there's always my last name working in my favor. I hope to have everything settled in the next few weeks. I don't mind if you stay at the house for a while, but I may even put the house on the market. I'm just giving you a heads-up to give you enough time to find a new place to live," she explained, while she fiddled with the hem of her top.

Klaus was shocked. He didn't see that coming. He thought she didn't mean it when she said she should leave. He knew her breakup with Mason was hard, but he also knew Caroline was stronger than most gave her credit for. Of course she was supposed to have a limit, like anyone else. But were things really that difficult for her? Maybe none of their friends realized that all her strength had been used to survive hidden wives, mothers' death and a hell of a year as a first year intern. Maybe it had all finally run her out of energy.

Again he didn't know what to say or how to react. He started to look at Caroline differently from how he looked at other girls. Granted, he had only looked at her like the others for a short period of time. For a while he thought he was looking at her like the sister he didn't have anymore. But there were certain reactions in his body he had never had for Rebekah, and he was thankful for that. It was a really creepy way to look at things. He felt like he should take care of her before he lost her like he had lost Rebekah. Or whatever other lies he fed his brain to justify his feelings for Caroline.

When Klaus had nothing to say, Caroline realized he wasn't going to ask her to reconsider. It may seem childish and desperate, but she expected him to at least look sad or something. But the only thing he was offering was a frown.

"Please, don't tell this to anyone. I don't want to hear my name attached to another story, or hear how pathetic and weak I am for leaving," she asked, quietly, trying her best not to breakdown in front of him.

"They have nothing to do with your life, let them think what they want. You should do what's best for you. Are you sure this is what's best for you, sweetheart?" he asked, leading Caroline to show a small smile. At least he showed some concern about her happiness.

"No. But I need to stop the bleeding before it makes too much damage," she felt her lips trembling, while she looked to the ceiling, blinking her tears away.

He remembered the other night when she was just as broken in her bed. She was so fragile, so easily hurt. He felt his blood boiling as he closed his fits. There was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to punch Mason in the face repeatedly.

"Maybe you aren't supposed to stop the bleeding by yourself, love," he moved to where she was sitting and offered his chest, which she promptly accepted.

"I don't have anybody to do that Klaus. Bonnie is so distant these days, Katherine is broken, Mason is dating 'Scarlett Johansson', my mother is dead, my father hates me, and my sister is a stalker that, eventually, will also hate me," her voice was muffled against his shirt. She hated that she was this vulnerable, especially around him for the second time that week. But she felt like she had nothing left to keep up her façade. She felt like she had finally had enough.

"Anyway, let me know how long you'll need the house. We probably should talk about the details at home, but as you're not coming back for the weekend, try to find a spot to fit me in next week. I think some things should be decided before I leave. I don't want you to feel pressured though, take your time. And don't worry, I'm not going to change the rent, even if you're the only one living there," she explained, showing once again how kind she was. She had refused to raise the rent when Bonnie and Stefan left. It would be a considerable change for him, as he would pay for it alone, instead of the third part, but she assured him she didn't need the money, and she only charged what she felt was enough to cover the house's bills and taxes. She was a generous and kind soul and it only made him more enraged to see her so broken.

She let go of his body and seemed to turn to leave, but he reached for her arm, pulling her back on her sitting position by his side. He was now able to see her eyes. They looked like an ocean, glossed by the unshed tears. He felt something funny in his stomach while his heart bet faster. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he couldn't look away. It seemed that it was too much for her to endure, as she turned her face slightly, looking at the wall.

She was fighting against her heart. Her heart desperately wanted to stay in New York. For the first time in her life she felt like she belonged somewhere, that she had a family, that people actually _cared _about her. Katherine, Damon, Bonnie, Stefan and even Klaus were her family. They did their best to be there for her, but they had their own lives. If only Mason would move away she wouldn't be so inclined to leave. Couldn't he at least work in another hospital? He had always said he was respected a lot at the Sinai. Most of her problems would be solved if she didn't have to see him on a daily basis and work closely to him many times a week.

"Caroline," he whispered, but she didn't react. "Sweetheart," he offered as he slipped his fingers under her chin and carefully turned her face towards him again. She tried to avoid his eyes, in an attempt to prevent the tears from falling. Her emotions were so raw at the moment, she felt so small and alone. She knew the moment her eyes found another pair, even if it was a stranger, she would cry. But this wasn't a stranger. Klaus was a part of her family, even if he was the most distant, the one that didn't stay in the room when they were all hanging out. The one that never said a word about his past or family, or even the brother that they all worked with. But she couldn't resist not looking into his beautiful blue eyes, and the moment she did, the tears started falling quickly. She didn't say anything else or sob. Her body didn't shake, and her breathing didn't change. The tears just kept falling, as if they couldn't be stopped by anything in the world. They were rain drops in the middle of a storm, and completely impossible to wipe away.

"Maybe I can't tell you what you want to hear and I don't know how to make it better for you. All I know is that I'll be around. I know I'm not normally, that I spend all my time in my bedroom, but I could be there for _you_. I can't ease your pain and I can't make things right with your family or Mason. But I can take care of you because I'm your family as well. So when Bonnie, Katherine, Damon or Stefan can't help you, call me. I know I told you I won't help you again or put you in your bed when you've gotten sick from drinking" he spoke with a soft sincere smile coming onto his face "but I've done this before when I didn't know better. I'm a man, not a boy, and I know better. I'll be there for you if you need me Caroline. You're not alone, sweetheart," his eyes were locked on hers and for a moment she thought they glowed with unshed tears as well, but he had blinked a couple of times and his eyes were just like they always were, beautiful; but sad and empty. But at least they didn't seem as distant and lost as usual. They seemed to plead with her instead, begging her to believe the sincerity in his words.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped his around her back and caressed her hair. She was quiet, small and fragile. She was soaking his scrub with her tears, but he wouldn't let her go. His feelings for her weren't clear, not even to himself, but he cared about her that much he was sure of. He cared about her in a way he hadn't about anyone in many years. He cared about her like she was indeed family, and that was a foreign feeling, or at least it had become in the last ten years. He suspected he felt for her something that went beyond the bond of family, but he wouldn't think of those things in that moment, if ever. All he could think of the currently was a way to protect her from the terrible world around her. He felt stronger while he held her in his arms. He felt like he could,_maybe_, be a good person someday. He felt something good coming from him when he took care of her. It made him think he could be a better man. A man he thought he would never be.

And as he held her Caroline felt like some weight had been taken off of her shoulders. She felt safe. She felt loved. She felt protected. She felt home.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus held each other for a few more minutes. He didn't want her to go and she didn't want to leave. Her tears hadn't stopped falling and he would do anything to fix it for her. She didn't expect Klaus to be this kind of man for her and even if she did, she'd never think that she'd feel the way she was feeling now. She had always felt safe when she was with Mason, but always there was always a tiny, tiny fear that he'd leave her again, or that she'd find out anything another secret he kept from her. In that moment with Klaus she felt just safe. No doubts or fears. She knew he was the Original Evil, and the one who had trashed his bedroom in a few occasions in the past months. Caroline thought she knew what to expect from him, but she was completely wrong about him. It wasn't like she expected him to hurt her, she just learned that Klaus was careless. He didn't care to love or to hurt anyone, he just cared about his own business, which seemed to be surgery and his art. And that had been okay. He was a good friend and he had helped her a few times in the past.

But nothing compared to the moment they were sharing. Caroline didn't want to move an inch away from him. His hard muscles around her body felt like a shelter. Her body fit perfectly between his strong arms and chest as if he was a mold to her body. His soft touch on her arm felt soothing, calming and comforting.

And without saying a word, the minutes just passed away. Her tears slowly decreased and had already stopped by then, but suddenly Caroline wanted to keep crying. She didn't want to stop the tears because the feeling of being in his arms was too good. She wasn't ready to stop this feeling. Mason had broken her further than she thought. She had never been a needy girl before, quite the opposite actually, as her walls were always up around her heart, but now she felt like she needed Klaus to just keep holding her.

His mind was in disarray. He couldn't stop thinking about what all of this meant. He couldn't understand his unstoppable need to help her, to hold her, to take care of her. He wasn't supposed to feel that way; he wasn't supposed to feel anything at all. But if he was being honest with himself he couldn't even pinpoint what he felt and that was frustrating, and above all, overwhelming. He felt compelled to keep holding her and to stop her from going to Raleigh or any other place that wasn't in his arms. In his wildest dreams he thought it was a way to make up for the hole Rebekah left in his heart, especially because they were family, and Caroline was like a sister. But what about those bloody butterflies? One didn't have butterflies embracing their sister or have erotic dreams about her. Definitely not!

He looked down at her and realized she didn't seem to be crying anymore. Which was good because he needed to leave, needed to run actually. He didn't feel like himself in his own skin as he held her, and the sooner he left, the easier it would be for him. But then he caught the faint smell coming from her soft hair and those thoughts were gone. He wanted nothing more than to continue breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. That was until his thoughts wondered again. All of this confusion was driving him crazy, and Klaus wasn't a good person when he didn't know how to handle his emotions. He knew she needed him and he wanted nothing more than to help her, but he needed to breathe.

As much as it was great to hold her in his arms he had to detach their bodies before he did or said something stupid. And against everything his body screamed at him, he started to loosen his grip on her, pushing away slowly. She realized what he was doing and quickly put a space between their bodies until they weren't touching at all. The feel of emptiness was almost immediate, but both ignored it for completely different reasons.

"Thank you, Klaus," she smiled, a broken, but also honest smile. He smiled back, instead of his usual smirk, but it was an unconscious reaction.

"I have to admit that was… unexpected. But then again, the people we expect the least from are the ones that give us more," she smiled hoping he wouldn't take the bad side of what she was saying. She was happy with his surprising actions and she never pushed, judged or complained about his usual detached behavior. She leaned closer again, but only so she could kiss his cheek gently, using her thumb to clear the almost invisible mark of her lipstick. It had been the first time he felt her touching him that way, and his body reacted immediately. He was starting to resent butterflies, even if he loved to include them in his more detailed landscapes paintings. It was a good thing she didn't move back to the comfort of his chest, otherwise she would have heard the crazy pace of his heart.

"I'll think about it," Caroline offered, as she walked towards the door.

He just nodded, and in a blink of eyes she was gone. Leaving a very confused man behind her.

_What the hell had just happened_, he questioned himself, with a deep frown showing on his face.

* * *

Caroline drove to her house thinking about the moment they just shared. She was happy, she was really happy. She finally had someone. Someone that would be there for her as a friend, and that wouldn't hurt her. Someone that had no reason to leave because he wasn't hers. She liked the safety of his arms and the protection of his embrace. She felt like all the pain was drained from her even if only for a mere few minutes. This was what she needed to stay in New York. It was easy. No feelings, no relationships, no betrayals and lies. They were friends

"Sex destroys everything," she muttered to herself as she entered her house. If she had had so many reasons before to never think of sleeping with Klaus, now she had a very good reason to stay clear from his bed. She needed someone to be there for her, and she would be there for him as well if he ever allowed her. He had always been a mystery, but she never found any reason to try to solve the puzzle that was Klaus Mikaelson. Yet now she would try. She could easily tell that he had been hurt before, there was no way his eyes had been that empty and lost since he was a child. She knew there was some sort of feud between him and Elijah, and although Katherine wouldn't help, she would find her own ways to figure out what happened.

She headed to her bedroom and for the first time in the last month she laid her head on the pillow to find no other feeling but relief. Relief that she wasn't alone after all, and that — _maybe _— things would finally start looking better for her. The past year had been difficult, challenging, heartbreaking with all the curves life threw her way, but it seemed now that the sun was going to be coming out from behind the clouds. But how she had any sort of feeling for Klaus – the cold Original Evil – with only a few hugs and some nice words, she didn't know.

Even though he would probably fail to keep his word, she came to the conclusion that she had never wanted to leave in the first place. She had just found herself alone with the walls closing in on her. Leaving New York, the city where she had been born and the one she loved, would be a truly great price she had been willing to pay to guarantee that she would be able to finish her residency. Her thoughts whirled in her mind until they became a distant buzzing and she found herself asleep, sooner rather than later. Sleep hadn't come this easy to her in months.

* * *

The next morning she woke up and felt like _different_. She wasn't lonely Caroline with the ruined life anymore. She wasn't running away. She was loved by her friends and Klaus' reassuring words echoed in her mind. A smile touched her face. She knew Bonnie, Stefan, Damon and Katherine would also be there for her as well eventually when their lives weren't as messed up as well. But it had been Klaus' words that had truly changed how she had been feeling and she wanted to show her gratitude. She knew he hated eating at the hospital – and she couldn't blame him – so she went through the cabinets until she found the thermo mug she was looking for, and filling it with the espresso from his expensive coffee machine (the one he had saved up for, for _months_) she headed earlier to the Presbyterian.

She arrived about an hour before she should, starting to look for him, but oddly enough he was nowhere to be found. She asked some nurses about him, but no one had seen him in the past couple of hours. It had been a quiet night and he had covered the first hours of the shift, leaving the last to the others residents.

Where is he? She asked herself. She wasn't sure if she should call him or not because he was probably sleeping. She finally gave up and decided to go to the residents' locker to get ready and wait for the appointed doctor of the day to let them know what their assignments were. She was walking through the hallway when she passed by the familiar room. Since she started her residency over a year ago that room had been occupied by the same man. It was a very, _very,_ old man who didn't show many signs of life either. Although most of his time was spent asleep the time he was awake was spent in silence, as he wasn't able to speak anymore. He also had a nurse to assist him with his more basic needs such as hygiene and eating. His family didn't want to send him to a nursing house because he had flat-lined a few times in the past, but they never stopped by to visit him either. It was a sad ending and from time to time she used to have lunch there, because it was quiet, but also for him to know that there were people there, even if he only mumbled, turning on the bed during his sleep.

And in that morning, as she passed by his bedroom, she decided she would rather wait for her shift to start there, than in the locker room. It would probably be safer in the long run anyway. She so did not want her joyful morning to end by meeting or seeing Mason and his new hot doctor. She carefully opened the door, although an earthquake wouldn't wake up the old man, but when she entered the room she noticed someone else had the same idea. And it just happened to be the one she was looking for.

"Morning," she offered with a broad smile on her face. If that wasn't a sign that her luck was changing, she didn't know what would be. Things never coincidentally helped her, or went her way, _like never_.

"Sweetheart," Klaus acknowledged her. He went there to keep his thoughts away from her while he sketched. He had more freedom and privacy here, but it seemed like he couldn't escape her.

"I come baring gifts," she smiled, handing him the thermal mug.

"Thank you, love," he offered a genuine smile. He really needed his espresso fix.

"I was looking for you everywhere," she offered, taking a chair to sit by his side. She noticed that he closed his sketch book the moment she entered. She had always been curious about what his drawings were like, but he'd always been so secretive about it – as well as everything else in his life – and she didn't feel like asking to see, but her eyes showed her curiosity, as they remained focused on the notebook.

"I covered from midnight to three," he offered uncomfortably seeing how she was eying his sketch book. For a moment he thought she was going to grab it and open it to find her face looking back at her. It was the first drawing he had ever done of her, but it consumed him at all hours since he had come to the room at three in the morning. He tried to remember how she looked the day he entered her private bathroom. She was tired and broken, but she had looked absolutely breathtaking with her hair up in a messy bun with just a few strands framing her beautiful face. He had added the happy smile he remembered from even more remote times, when she was still with Mason. He tried to capture the light in her eyes, and that had been what he had spent the most time working at. But after hours of trying to do it he came to the obvious conclusion that her light couldn't be captured. It was something that belonged to her, the real Caroline Forbes, and no one else.

"So I heard," she said answered, not realizing his uneasiness as she kept her eyes in the sketch book.

"So?" he said, taking the book and putting it away in his bag along with his pencils and erasers.

"So I'm happy and it's all thanks to you," she offered in the cheery way that she had yet to show since she had come back from vacation. It had been one of the first things he had learned about her, but it had been MIA for the past few months.

"Really?" he smiled contently.

"Yes, you really helped me out yesterday. I guess all I needed was a good friend's shoulder… or chest. I also feel like I owe you an apology for not including you as I talked about my family of friends. To be honest, I've always thought you would never be so close to any of us," she voiced the one thing that had been slightly bothering her. She didn't want him to be hurt by her words but they needed to be said.

"Neither did I," he whispered, but still loud enough for her to hear.

She looked at his smile, and she could see it wasn't totally genuine, but she didn't care. She was on cheery mode, the one that was genuine, not the one she pretended to have. "I promise this time I won't screw up," she offered with a big smile.

"Don't remember a time you did, sweetheart," he offered, happy to see she was definitely better.

"Also, just to be clear, I won't be sleeping with you. Everything is great until sex ruins it. That's when the crying comes or the hidden wives show up," she rushed to say and explain, "But not this time. I will learn from my mistakes. So we'll have this great friendship and we will be totally there for each other and everything will be just fine. No more boys or wives. No more blood family. No more drama and crying. No more tears," she concluded and he couldn't remember a time where she looked so beautiful, so radiant. Even if the little speech had seemed to come out of left field. Klaus fought to repress the smirk that strived forward.

"So what you're saying is that I'll be your friend but without the 'benefits' part? Sweetheart, you know I always get benefits. I'm all about the benefits in fact." he smirked, full force, finally feeling at ease around her again. Maybe that was it. Maybe she was just a very attractive woman that reminded him of Rebekah and that moved him to want to help her. She didn't have to be anything else. She was just a broken girl that reminded him of how broken his sister was before she was gone.

"If you insist, we can sleep together," she shrugged, but there was a bit of malice in her eyes. He was going to bite it.

"That's much better," he winked, sipping more of his still hot espresso.

"But we won't have sex. We'll only sleep, snooze, rest," she said giggling as she ran on, "It'll be in the movies, 'Best Friends 'til the Grave'. It'll be really corny, but guess what? Corny people are happy and I'm tired of being whiny and complaining Caroline. Katherine is right. I've been unbearable these last few months," she completed, sounding and looking excitedly.

"I'm not sure how helpful or benefiting that is, love. I said I would be there for you, but don't read too much into it. I still don't speak girl and I am definitely not Stefan. I don't buy tampons or brood, or read poetry," he smiled, joking, but also being honest about everything he had just said. Caroline rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"It's not like you've ever gone to the grocery story since you moved in, also, Stefan still buys tampons for Bonnie, I'm sure he can buy them for me as well.," she shrugged and a small laugh escaped at Stefan's actions, "We are not going to be a TV cliché, don't worry. We'll be much better," she giggled, showing her beautiful bright smile.

"We'll be whatever you want us to be, sweetheart," he smiled at her happiness. It was a beautiful sight that flattered her perfectly. He would definitely change a few things in the sketch he finished just minutes ago. His memory didn't make justice to the vision that was a happy Caroline.

"I better leave you to your secretive drawing," she said, but not before kissing his cheek once again and walking towards the door.

"And sweetheart?" he called. Caroline turned to look at him, "You may reevaluate our potential sleeping arrangements. I'm not known for resisting such beautiful women when they're willingly in my bed," he smirked, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ass," she said, her smile giving away her faked annoyance.

"I like Original Evil more," he winked, and she left, feeling better than she had in a long time.

* * *

They continued their light banter when Klaus entered the residents' locker room just a few minutes later. They were happily talking and her giggles could be heard from the halfway which took Mason's attention.

Katherine and Bonnie didn't understand most of Klaus and Caroline jokes. Their thoughts mirrored each other when they thought of the pair joking: they were nuts. Especially the British one. Klaus rarely spoke unless he needed too, but it seemed like Caroline's babbling was rubbing off on him.

As the minutes continued to pass by it wasn't long before Rose entered the room and gave them their assignments for the day. Katherine was with Elijah, and she didn't know if she should be thankful for having the best heart surgeon at the hospital as her teacher for the day, or if she should be miserable to spend yet another day pretending like she didn't love Elijah. Bonnie was with Dr. Salvatore, much to her annoyance. She had never had any interest in plastics, she thought it was a shallow job for a surgeon, but then she had actually met Dr. Damon Salvatore and it made the idea of plastics even worse. She couldn't understand how Stefan was the brother to someone as arrogant and despicable as Damon. Klaus was going to be working with Rose herself that day, and Caroline was under Mason's supervision. She couldn't believe it, her shoulder's dropped a bit with the news, but she quickly straightened them. She wasn't about to let this change her mood.

"Dr. Sawyer," Caroline called after Rose.

"Yes, Dr. Forbes," the older blond answered.

"Is Dr. Van der Woodsen still at the hospital?" Caroline asked, hoping that at least she would be spared from Mason working with someone else.

"Yes, S came for another procedure with Damon," Rose clarified and Caroline frowned. How could she use that stupid nickname to call her ex-husband's new girlfriend? Caroline was starting to think that Rose wasn't only sweet and kind, she was just plain stupid and probably somewhat emotionally retarded all things considered.

"S? Do you also know her?" Caroline tried to ask without showing how pathetic Rose sounded at the moment.

"I was married to her brother for eight years, Caroline, I think I more than know her." Rose frowned slightly, "Also, Damon has a rare soft spot for Serena, we used to hang out a lot when I was still dating Mason although she wasn't legally allowed to drink just then," the pediatrician completed with a smile remembering the many funny nights she had with Serena and Damon while Mason was away or simply not in the mood.

"Wait, wait— wait! S as in Serena his si-sister?" asked Caroline shocked.

"Oh, you'd never met Serena before? I thought she knew about you… you know when you… when Mason… I gotta go, Dr. Forbes, have a nice day," the attending doctor said before walking away awkwardly.

"Seriously? How much of an idiot can I be? I mean it was right under my nose… I can't believe I freaked out like a 12 year old," she said to herself. _She_ was the pathetic, stupid and emotionally retarded one, not Rose. There were a lot of resemblances between Mason and Serena.

"Dr. Forbes," the familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I thought you would at least have the courtesy of introducing me your younger sister…" she practically growled as she turned on him. Okay, so he hadn't moved on as she had thought, but she still didn't mean that much to him if he didn't even think of introducing his sister to her.

"Excuse me?" he frowned confused.

"Your 'Scarlett Johansson' sister. How can you just… Ugh! Forget it Mason, I mean Dr. Lockwood," she said angrily.

"How am I supposed to know you want to meet my sister if you've been avoiding me for weeks?" he asked.

"Forget it. I'll go get my interns. We'll meet you at the nurse's station," she announced before leaving left a very confused and slightly irritated Mason behind her.

* * *

Caroline followed Mason while they did the rounds and pre-ops, before scrubbing in the surgeries he had scheduled for the day. She was in a much better mood than before. She realized that not only had she been hurting for something that wasn't what she thought, but that she could now like Serena without feeling _completely _pathetic. Wasn't it pathetic enough that she like, really, liked Rose.

"Serena and I are having lunch at the Grill do you want to come along?" he asked while he worked on the craniotomy they were performing together.

"Why would I have lunch with you and your sister, Dr. Lockwood?" she asked confused, trying not to look at the scrub nurses around them.

"I thought you would want to per our conversation this morning?" it was his turn to look confused.

"Just because I mentioned that I didn't know she was your sister? You're reading too much into this, Dr. Lockwood and I already met her. I had surgery with her and Dr. Salvatore yesterday," Caroline answered hoping that her words would make it clear to everyone around listening in that by 'morning conversation' Mason had meant the one he had with her at the hospital facilities, not one waking up by her side.

"So I've heard. S was impressed, by the way," he offered a smile she couldn't see because of his mask, but she could identify the light in his eyes that meant his lips were curving. It was creepy how well she knew someone she had been with for only a few months, but her relationship with Mason had been very intense.

"Well, I was the one impressed, she's very talented," Caroline commented.

"She's amazing," he said, and she could see the way his eyes now radiated a different kind of light. It was totally like Mason to be so proud of his baby sister. He had mentioned her a few times, but Caroline never thought it could be the beautiful girl with him, especially because her last name wasn't Lockwood. He had an even younger brother, who she knew was Tyler, because Mason mentioned him more often. Surprisingly enough Tyler wasn't a doctor, like every other person in the Lockwood family. He was a lawyer that worked downtown.

"Anyway, If you change your mind Alaric, Isobel and Damon will also join us," he insisted, and that was like the Mason she knew.

"Thanks for the invitation, Dr. Lockwood, but I already have plans for lunch," she answered politely, looking away to try and escape the disappointment she thought she would see. She wasn't wrong. When she looked at him some moments later to find that he was indeed disappointed, sad even.

"Alaric is going to formally invite S to join the team. We did lose Dr. Sanz after he moved away. The new chief of residents will probably be appointed next week, but we still have a sixth residency open spot. I would love having Serena around again, she worked with me throughout her entire residency until I changed from the Sinai to the Presbyterian," he commented quietly, but before Caroline thought about what she was saying, the words were out of her mouth.

"Or maybe you should just go back to Sinai. Didn't you love it there? I bet they miss you too," she said in an even tone. It was just something she had thought a lot about lately. It would make her life much easier if he went back to where he came from, or anywhere particularly far away from her. She knew it was very selfish and even childish on her part, but she was tired of being in pain because of the man she still loved.

"I have a contract with this hospital and a commitment with Dr. Saltzman that I plan on fulfilling until the end, Dr. Forbes. I can't just move," he locked eyes with her quickly and his voice lowered for only her to hear, "Even if it hurts me to come to work every day," his admittance pulled at Caroline's heart. For a moment Caroline wanted to walk around the stretcher and embrace him. He had always been so open about their relationship at the hospital after everyone figured out they were together. He would drop sweet comments like that around the whole surgery team without feeling embarrassment for showing his emotions. It was in times like these that she missed him the most. He had been a great boyfriend, you know, except for the hidden wife thing.

"Also, she's here because of Damon. She plans on going into Plastics and he's the best in the field here in New York, and for S he even goes out of his way and actually acts like a teacher," Mason added, feeling like his previous comment wasn't respecting his rule to give her time and space.

"It's a miracle with so many Lockwoods in town you're the only one working in New York's biggest hospital, I bet your sister will only be the first among all the other millions of doctors you have in the family," Caroline offered and for a moment it was as if they were back together. They used to have those light conversation through surgery, forgetting there were any more people in the room.

"As long as mother doesn't decide to join, otherwise Serena would never step foot in here again. My mother won't rest her case until Serena gives her first grandchild," he smirked, just yesterday his sister was complaining about the intervention their mother had last weekend to convince Serena she should have some kids already.

"Or you," Caroline offered quietly, though she was laughing.

"Considering I just got divorced and Serena has been married for five years, I'm thankful I'm not my mother's first target anymore," his smirk didn't fade. That was one of the up sides of having divorced Rose. His mother would finally back off about the babies' thing.

"Seriously? She married during her residency?" she asked surprised. Residency was as demanding as jobs came, she couldn't imagine getting married during those years.

"Actually, in her last year during med-school. She and Ryan will celebrate their sixth anniversary next month," Mason shrugged. People in his family got married early, even if they chose demanding careers.

"Wow, but I have to say she looks really young. I wouldn't guess that she was already in her sixth year," Caroline said, honestly surprised.

"She's going to turn thirty in a few months,"

"She _is_ young to be a sixth year resident," Caroline said. It meant Serena was barely two years older than her, but she was already four further into her residency than Caroline.

"S is a genius. We have always all been very proud of her," he said with a big grin that seemed to show through the mask.

"We're done here, team," he addressed everybody. "Another life saved," he clapped his hands and everybody followed suit as usual. Mason always took saving lives seriously and in his field he knew it was always a reason to celebrate when people with damage in their brains actually made it through the surgery. The statistics weren't on their side most times.

"Thanks for your assistance, Drs. Forbes and Burton," Mason acknowledged the resident and the intern, as he usually did.

"It's always a pleasure to work with you, Dr. Lockwood," Caroline offered before walking towards the sink to scrub off.

He watched her walking out with a sad smile. Mason still loved her badly and all he wanted was to find a way back to her heart. He knew he had hurt her a lot when he decided to give Rose and their marriage another run and today, for the first time since they had broken up, they had had a natural conversation. She didn't run away from him. She was just there like everyone else. Doing her job, having small conversation with him while they closed up their patient. He could see in her eyes that there was still love there, but its brightness was fading day by day and he had to figure out what to do to get her back before it was too late. Before she finally moved on from him.

* * *

_AN: thanks to **Erin **for being my beta for this chapter, and all my reviewers. Please, make me happy and leave me a review._

_xoxo  
_

_Barbara  
_


	5. Chapter IV

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter IV**

* * *

The conversation with Mason the week before had helped Caroline in more ways than she had predicted. For one, she was happy to be normal when by his side again. She didn't know where the confidence came from, but she felt like she could have a normal conversation with him like they used to have without feeling like the walls were closing in. She credited the change in the air between them to finding out the nature of his relationship with Serena. It never crossed her mind that when Klaus had said he would be there for her, that some of her deepest fears went to the back of her mind. She feared proving her mother correct by failing to complete the residency program. She feared being alone for the rest of her life. She feared having to leave the only family she had in addition to Alaric and Isobel. She would even lose the couple if she moved to Raleigh. But none of those thoughts crossed Caroline's mind. She was relieved to know Mason hadn't move on, but know that it still hurt him to work with her on a daily basis. Even if the thought was slightly callous.

She wasn't happy because he was in pain. She wasn't that selfish. His pain didn't bring her any comfort. She was just relieved to know that he still loved her and that there was still some hope for them after all. So many couples spent months away from each other before being reunited for good. She just hoped that would be the case for the two of them, as she felt she still loved him, and always would. Caroline smiled brighter, not realizing that the constant smile on her face hadn't started when Mason had confessed among ten people that he had hurt because of his regrets, it had started when she found Klaus in the old man's room that morning.

Their relationship had certainly changed a lot these past few days. They were closer than they had ever been, and surprisingly enough, he seemed to be really comfortable with her, and more communicative with her. And if Caroline failed to notice the changes Klaus brought to her life, their friends – and everyone else didn't – it was because they weren't noticing a change in Caroline, but a change in Klaus.

"What do you keep drawing?" Caroline asked during their lunch.

"Beauty, sweetheart. That's my favorite thing in the world, which is why I'm specializing in Plastics," he shrugged with a smile, before biting into his apple.

"I bet he spends his time drawing pin-ups," Katherine meddled.

"I'm sure he's drawing the women he's slept with… naked, because that's just the sort of perverted evil thing he would do,"

"I guess then you should be thankful I'm not spreading my work on the hospital's walls, Judgy," Klaus added, gaining a mocking smirk from Katherine.

"Ha-ha," Bonnie answered, but there was a genuine smile on her face. She was over them sleeping together. She was far from being a prude and, well… Klaus did leave a good impression on her… even if it had been only about sex.

"If he's somehow drawing about his sex escapades, I guess the only one he's drawing is himself. Have you guys even met Klaus, yet? This man loves himself," Stefan chuckled ribbing the man next to him good-naturedly.

"They don't keep coming back for nothing, Stef," Klaus said with a naughty smirk.

"Do you really think you're that good? Because I seriously doubt that you are," Katherine challenged.

"Why don't you let me show you, sweetheart?" he looked her in the eye, keeping an intense stare.

"I don't sleep with siblings, Klaus, and I'm sure I tasted the superior brother," the brunette provoked.

"Eli? If it had been Kol I wouldn't think you've been fooled your whole life by your bed buddies. Elijah doesn't know how to have fun even in an amusement park," Klaus laughed, showing Katherine he knew how to mock people better than anyone.

"Line crossed people, don't give Katherine reasons to describe her sexual adventures with Dr. Heart unless you want to suffer from PSTD," Caroline grimaced, and Bonnie followed suit.

The boys laughed, while Katherine simply shrugged. But Caroline held her gaze on Klaus for a few more seconds. He was starting to talk more to the group since they had come back from vacation. His changes weren't solely reserved to being shown just to her, although he still joked and played with her more than with anyone else. But what really caught her attention was how he not only mentioned his brother for the first time ever, but used what seemed like a cute nickname. And who was Kol? Probably another brother as per the context?

"Gotta run, I have surgery with Dr. Lockwood in ten," said Katherine leaving the table, followed by Bonnie who also had surgery.

Stefan stayed with Klaus and Caroline, as they arrived later to lunch and were still eating, but soon it dwindled to just Klaus and Caroline.

"Are you ever going to let me see your sketches?" she asked before starting on her chocolate cake.

"If I do I'll have to kill you," he smirked stealing a piece of her cake.

"Hey, that's mine! I asked if you wanted me to buy you one when we stopped by the diner," she protested, hitting him playfully on the arm.

"And why buy one to have all to myself if I could just share yours, sweetheart?" he said raising his fork and asking with puppy eyes for her to share some more.

"Fine, but tomorrow I'm buying two and _you_ will pay for both," she conceded.

"Whatever you say, love," he said before taking yet another piece from her cake.

"I'm serious, are you ever going to show me your drawings? Or your paintings?" she asked as they quietly shared the large slice.

"So willing to see your colleagues naked, love?" he smirked.

"I know you don't draw them Klaus," she rolled her eyes before taking another piece of cake.

"How can you be so sure if you've never saw my drawings?" he observed as she moaned softly, with her eyes closed, tasting her favorite dessert from her favorite restaurant.

"It's not like you to draw naked women you've had sex with," she shrugged, not realizing he had been watching her every movement.

"Why not? I earned that nickname proudly," he said with a proud smirk on his face.

"I know you better than that," she pressed her index finger against his forearm.

"So now you do, don't you?" his voice was low and quite sexy, if Caroline was honest with herself.

"Yes," she answered proudly.

"Don't fool yourself, Caroline. We may be roommates and I may be around more, but you don't know me," he dismissed her, collecting the trash from his lunch to throw away.

"You don't connect with people; it's your fault if nobody knows you," she changed her demeanor for a serious one.

"Connecting with people is unnecessary. I'm connected with my art and my career, I don't need people and I definitely don't want people to know me," he answered quickly and, as far as she could tell, with a hint of irritation.

"Everybody needs 'people', Klaus, and you have me. You can count on me, I told you that," she finished her cake and also collected the rest of her lunch that wasn't food.

"And I appreciate the offer, although I'm never going to call you on for that," he said, as both stood up to discard the trash and walk back to their patients and rounds.

"If you say so," she shrugged, knowing it would be better to drop the subject. She only needed him to know she was there for him as well if he ever needed someone.

"I do," he assured her, but before he walked away she grabbed his arm, holding him in front of the trashcans.

"Just know I'm really here for you," she offered, before giving him another kiss on the cheek and then walking away.

"Damn you, Caroline," he hissed quietly as he watched her walking away. Why did she have to make everything so confusing and difficult for him? Nobody was supposed to be there for him. Nobody was supposed to care about him. He was used to it. It was easier that way than having to lose them later.

Klaus kicked the trashcan, attracting the eyes of many people, in addition to another pair that had been watching his and Caroline's moves closely.

* * *

Today was Serena's first day as a resident at the Presbyterian Hospital. She was excited to work with Damon and couldn't be more thankful to the resident who had abandoned the program at the end of his fifth year. It had been such a coincidence for a sixth year resident to leave when she was a sixth resident herself wanting to work with the best plastic surgeon in the city. It would also be a plus to work near Mason again. She loved being around her brother, and when the opportunity arose- work together, as neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons often worked together in cases of serious accidents involving patients' heads. But there was someone else she wanted to be close to again, and she couldn't deal with her distance anymore.

And she certainly wasn't about to waste the small miracle of finding Rose alone in the nurse station. The pediatrician was a great teacher and normally her interns and residents followed her wherever she went. This was definitely a miracle.

"Hey," Serena offered quietly to the other blond.

"Dr. Van der Woodsen, I heard the good news. I'm new myself, but welcome to the Presbyterian," Rose offered.

"Dr. Van der Woodsen, seriously Ros?" the taller blond smiled sweetly.

"Well, I'm a doctor welcoming a resident… it seemed appropriate…" Rose offered, but they both knew that wasn't the problem.

"Come here," the younger doctor took the older woman by the arm and walked towards Damon's office, hoping the lazy dark haired surgeon wasn't there.

"Start talking," Serena demanded once they entered the empty office, closing the door behind her.

"What?"

"What? I came to work here three days last week, and not once did you even say hello to me. What kind of best friend is that?" the resident said with both her hands on her hips.

"The kind that just divorced your brother? You've been with Mason all your free time in the hospital, it wasn't like I was going to hang out with the two of you and pretend nothing happened," Rose tried to reason, but she knew reasoning and winning with Serena Van der Woodsen was nearly impossible.

"But nothing happened between the two of us! I gave Mason a well-deserved lecture on his very poor decision of divorcing you. I heard the nurses saying he has a girlfriend in the hospital, is that true?" Serena said angrily. She couldn't believe her brother was so stupid to leave someone like Rose, but when Mason said the love was gone there was nothing the resident could say back. There's no relationship if there's no love anymore.

"I thought Damon would fill you in on the gossip," Rose attempted to joke, but her smile was too weak for even herself believe.

"He's vain like that, but he respects you and you know that. What happened? I knew things with you and Mason were difficult when he moved to Belford, but I thought it was just a phase…" the younger doctor took her best friend hands in hers.

"So did I," Rose confessed, fighting against the tears.

"What happened? Where is the little home wrecker? I swear there will be nothing left of her once I've finished." Serena said trying to cheer her friend up. Rose couldn't help but feeling a bit shocked at her statement. Serena was a pacific and one of the politest people Rose had ever met.

"Caroline is just a victim in this story…" Rose wiped a couple of tears that insisted on falling.

"Caroline as in Dr. Forbes?" the resident asked surprised. The younger resident left a good impression on Serena and she didn't mean only professionally.

"Yes,"

"I worked with her last week, she seemed okay and was quite the talented doctor, but I'm unconditionally on your side," the blue-eyed doctor offered quite suddenly disappointed by Caroline.

"She didn't know he was married, S," the pediatrician clarified, but Serena didn't buy it that easily. Rose was too naive and always expected the best from everyone, even her husband's mistress.

"That's what they all say," she spoke in a dry voice, not trying to seem rude but coming off as such nevertheless. She didn't want Rose to think she was calling her stupid or something.

"She really didn't. She broke up with him the moment I appeared and he's still trying to win her back, but she's yet to agree to it," Rose said with confidence. The truth was she believed Caroline when the younger blond looked for her to clear the air between them. Any other woman, who really wanted to steal a married man, wouldn't have behaved the way Caroline did.

"Why are you defending her?" Serena asked surprised Rose justified Caroline's actions like that. But then, there wasn't anyone in the world sweeter than Rose Sawyer.

"I'm not defending her. My marriage with Mason hadn't been working for the longest time. Caroline only came into the picture after he started working here," the hazel-eyed doctor shrugged, but before Serena could answer, the pediatrician's pager went off, and checking it she sighed. One of her patients was having problems in their recovery.

"I have to check on this girl," she said to Serena, who watched her compassionately.

"I meant it when I said I'm on your side, and no, I didn't mean it only about Caroline, even if you seem to believe her. Mason is my brother, but you're my best friend. You've been there for me during every difficult moment I had with Ryan. Forget that Mase is my brother… I'm here as your best friend, if you want to call him names, we'll call him names together. I'm on call today, but tomorrow I'm free, I'd love if we could have dinner together," Serena insisted.

"Thanks, S," the older doctor said with tears glossing her eyes again.

"You're my best friend, Ros, I'm here for you, you won't lose me over this or anything else," Serena offered hugging her friend, who couldn't stop her tears anymore.

"I need my best friend,"

"Dinner tomorrow, but if you need me, just call me or page me, we're close again. How about a sleepover? Ryan is out of town," Serena said the last part excitedly.

"Isn't thirty a little too old for sleepovers?" Rose smiled.

"Hey, I'm in my twenties until the calendar says otherwise and currently it says I still have some weeks," the resident said with a smile.

"I've been in my thirties for a couple of years now," Rose said as she opened the door for them to leave.

"You and me, sleepover at my house, tomorrow night," Serena winked, and the two doctors went their separate ways.

* * *

It was almost seven at night and Caroline couldn't be more thankful. She was _exhausted_. Her day had been demanding and she had spent most of her afternoon in a surgery. It had been five hours of standing straight up, and she was drained. Her entire body hurt, and she couldn't wait to have a bath. Yes, she was definitely having a bath tonight. With bubbles, lots of bubbles. Besides, there was no way she would be able to stand for ten more minutes, even if it was showering.

She knew she still had about fifteen minutes before her shift was over, but Isobel had released her for the day and she was going to change out of her scrubs and wait for Klaus to go home. Preferably inside her car. She hoped he would drive them home because she was positive she couldn't feel her feet properly.

"Dr. Forbes?" she heard someone calling her name as she was about to enter the residents' locker room.

"Please, no," she muttered to herself identifying the heavy accent.

"Dr. Mikaelson, hello," the resident didn't dare to ask if there was anything she could do to help him. She wouldn't be able to help anyone at that moment.

"Good evening, Ms. Forbes, could you come to my office for five minutes?" he asked, and Caroline actually frowned. Why was he calling her miss instead of doctor?

"Could I find another resident for you, Dr. Mikaelson? I've been in surgery for the past five hours, my legs and back are killing me," she decided to be honest. Elijah was a very compassionate and kind doctor. She knew he was her boss and she shouldn't ask him something like this, but she hoped he wouldn't mind.

"Actually it's not work related…" the attending doctor offered and it actually caught Caroline's attention.

"Do you mind if I ask what it's about?" she asked curiously.

"Family related," he answered after assuring there wasn't anyone around eavesdropping

Now Caroline didn't feel tired at all. She had been thinking about trying to approach Elijah to talk about Klaus and this was the perfect occasion.

"I'll change into my street clothes and will meet you there in five, is that okay?" she asked, her demeanor completely changed.

"Thank you, Ms. Forbes," he offered a polite smile and walked away.

_I'm in a meeting; I'll probably be a little bit late. My keys are inside my locker, if you want to wait for me at the car,_ Caroline texted Klaus as she headed to Elijah's office. She hoped she wouldn't cross paths with Klaus on her way. She didn't want to lie to him, and she definitely didn't want him to know she had been talking to Elijah. He was finally opening up and she wanted to find a way to help him, even if he said he didn't need any help or person for that matter.

"I'm glad you came, Ms. Forbes," he said as the blond sat across from him.

"Do you mind if I ask you why you are calling me Miss Forbes?"

"This is a private matter, I don't think I should call you doctor, but if you prefer, I don't mind," he explained, and Caroline chuckled. He was so politically correct, so tactful, so formal. She would never understand how her best friend fell for a man like Elijah. Katherine wasn't any of those things.

"In that case I would prefer it if you called me Caroline," she offered with a warm smile.

"Very well, Caroline," he offered a boyish smile and that was the first time she had seen the older Mikaelson brother looking so relaxed, "As I told you earlier this is a personal matter and I want you to be free to avoid any question I may have that will make you uncomfortable," he explained and she only nodded.

"I noticed over the past weeks that you're the closest person to my brother among your group of residents," _or maybe in the whole world_, he thought quietly.

"Klaus and I are friends, he lives with me," she completed, sounding sort of proud of herself.

"As roommates, is that correct?" Elijah raised his eyebrows. Could it be that not only Klaus decided to be friends with someone, but something more?

"Yes," she confirmed, knowing Katherine probably mentioned something about it before they broke up.

"To be honest my question for you is quite simple, Caroline. How is Niklaus doing?" he asked, and she could see the real concern written all over the heart surgeon's face.

"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning. What sort of question was that?

"As you may have noticed we aren't exactly close, I want to know how he's been doing," the dark haired man explained.

"As far as I can say he's fine. Klaus doesn't open up to anyone; he lives in a world of his own," she shrugged. That was the truth though, she couldn't say for sure if he was okay because that was how Klaus had been for the past twelve months. Always quiet, always sketching when he wasn't working, spending most — if not all — his time at home in his own bedroom.

"But still, I've noticed he has become closer to you lately," Elijah commented.

"Where?"

"At the hospital cafeteria, at the nurse station, at the residents' locker room," he clarified and she observed him for a moment.

"But how have _you_ noticed it? You don't even have lunch at the cafeteria," she said suspiciously.

"Says who?" he smiled, not his boyish smile, but his serious smile, if that was possible in the first place. But that was Elijah Mikaelson.

"According to Katherine you've been avoiding her by having lunch in your office," the blond shrugged. She would drop her best friend's name as many times as possible because that was another subject she wanted to talk to Elijah about eventually. It was a good thing he had come for her, because now she had a chance to get closer to him and when she felt comfortable enough around him, she would defend Katherine's case, even if the brunette would hate Caroline for doing it behind her back. Katherine was a very proud woman, she would never want anyone to defend her, especially if it was her ex-boyfriend, who happened to be her boss and her future mentor. Katherine would probably kill her if she found out.

"Katherine is wrong. And very self-centered if she thinks I'm avoiding the hospital cafeteria because of her," Elijah answered a little bit uncomfortable, looking away from Caroline for a few seconds.

"Well, that's Kat for you," she chuckled.

"I guess you're right," the male surgeon also smiled, with a little bit of nostalgia in his eyes. It was so clear he still loved her, she couldn't believe he was giving up on her because of ethics! Elijah would never do Katherine any favors for being her boss and he definitely didn't harass her in any way.

There was a short silence between the two doctors, until Elijah spoke again.

"What else could you say about my brother, Caroline?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" she asked, softly, showing she wasn't being rude, but just curious, "I'm sure he would like that. He even mentioned you today. Referred to you as Eli and all," she completed with a sweet smile.

"Did he?" Elijah asked softly, and Caroline could swear his eyes got teary.

"Yes, and mentioned someone named Kol," Caroline said hoping Elijah would confirm her suspicions about Kol being their brother.

"What did he say?" the dark-haired man asked curious.

"I can't repeat that in front of you without being redder than Canada's flag," she answered, blushing heavily already.

"Was is that bad?" he asked a little bit disappointed.

"No, he just answered Katherine when she commented she had… had… you know… known you… in the biblical sense of the word," the blond rambled, and mumbled.

"Katherine mentioned our sex life?" he asked frowning.

"No, nothing like that, Klaus was teasing Bonnie and then they started talking about bed skills. I guess you can put the pieces together from that, Dr. Mikaelson," she said looking away, wanting nothing more than to change subjects.

"It's only fair for you to call me Elijah if I call you Caroline," he offered, seeing how uncomfortable and how badly she was blushing.

"Anyway, I think you should try asking Klaus how he's doing. I don't mind telling you, but you're his brother, you probably love each other," she offered softly.

"It's not that simple," it was Elijah's turn to look away.

"It's very simple actually, whoever made a mistake apologizes, the other forgives and you go from there. I'm not saying you should be best friends, just start being civil and with time you'll be brothers again," she explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"As I said, it's not that simple," if only she knew what really happened, she would agree with him.

"Did you two have a fight?"

"Not exactly, no, we didn't fight," Elijah answered somberly.

"So what happened?" she insisted.

"It's a long and tragic story, Caroline," he sighed, running one of his hands on his perfectly styled hair.

"That I suppose neither you nor Klaus will ever talk about," she concluded seeing the man in front of her breaking slowly. Whatever happened between them seemed to still affect him a lot.

"You're probably right," he answered, his face more somber than ever. Was this tragic past the reason why Klaus had his episodes?

"Did you know he has…" she started, but stopped before she concluded. He probably didn't know about the episodes and she wouldn't mention it behind Klaus' back. It was just wrong even if Elijah was his brother.

"What?"

"I don't know if it's my place to tell you this. What if I'm breaking his trust? Of course I'm breaking his trust… there's a reason why the two of you pretended to not even know each other before everyone found out you were brothers," she shook her head.

"Is there something I should know about my brother, Caroline?" he insisted as she seemed disturbed when she started rambling softly.

"I'm sure I'm the one who should be asking you that question, Elijah," she said, but the attending took her comment the wrong way.

"Niklaus is not a bad person, Caroline. I won't try to convince Katherine's best friend of the same about me," he said with a straight face.

"If anything Katherine knows you're one of the good guys, Elijah, that's what drives her crazy," Caroline chuckled, before addressing his other comment, "And I didn't mean it like that. I know Klaus is also a good guy, maybe a bit troubled and tortured, but he's a good guy. It's just you're his brother, you're the one who's known him his whole life, if anything I should be asking you questions about him," she completed.

"I haven't talked to Niklaus in a very long time," Elijah simply answered.

"When did you have this fight of yours?" she asked, expecting him to dodge another question, but this time he answered her.

"A little over ten years ago," he said; the somberness showing on his face again.

"And you haven't talked to each other since then?" she asked absolutely shocked.

"If you don't consider the few times he had been obliged to scrub in my surgeries, then yes, that's accurate," Elijah confessed and for a moment Caroline didn't know what to say. It was definitely more serious than she had thought. Which brought her back to her earlier assumptions.

"Is there any chance this episode between you guys has damaged him further, that's made him lose more than a brother?" she asked, carefully choosing her words.

"He didn't lose only a brother that day… and I don't think anyone in my family has been the same since then," he said.

"That's not true," she stated before she could stop herself, cursing her big tongue under her breath.

"What did you say?" it was his turn to be surprised by their exchange of information.

"Nothing," she said quickly just as her phone went off on her purse. Hoping the interruption would help her to keep Elijah from continuing the topic she checked her phone to find she had a text from Klaus. The guy definitely had a great timing, though he only wanted to know how long would she take. Apparently he was starving.

She used the distraction to answer Klaus and say she would be downstairs in a few minutes. _Five, ten tops_, she added, hoping she could actually leave the room before she said too much. She always said too much.

"I heard you pretty well, Caroline. Why don't you just tell me the truth? I'm not trying to scheme against my brother. I'm happy to actually be able to see him now. He probably had no idea I had left England when he chose the Presbyterian. I'm sure he didn't keep tabs on any of us, especially not on me," Elijah offered. It may have affected the whole family, but it seemed to her that the main problem was between the two brothers.

Caroline pondered for a moment. Looking at Elijah she could see he was distressed and how concerned he was about Klaus. Maybe she could help her friend after all. Whatever had happened between them it seemed as if Elijah was over it. Maybe the rest of the family was over it as well and Elijah just didn't know it.

"He visited his mother in London during our vacation," she completed and Elijah was pensive for a moment.

"Well, Mother and I will have a very interesting conversation tomorrow," he thought out loud. He had talked to Esther just last week and many times since the resident had been back from vacation. Not once had she mentioned Klaus. Maybe his brother was lying to his roommate, but why should he? He could have said he went anywhere in the world, why mention their mother if it wasn't true?

"Don't! If you confront anyone about it, he'll know it was me, Bonnie or Stefan who spilled the beans, and seeing as you dated my best friend, I guess I'm going to be the biggest bet out of the three of us, and I really care about your brother. I don't want to lose his friendship," she pleaded with the attending.

Another text came. _Five minutes is up_, it said simply and she wanted nothing more than to leave her boss' office, but now she didn't plan on leaving until she had his word.

"Are you sure it's only friendship between the two of you?" Elijah asked with his usual formal and polite tone. There was such a seriousness about that man.

"What? Of course! I'm not ready to enter into another dramatic and baggage-y relationship. I'm sure you've heard about Mason," she answered appalled. There was no way she would be in a relationship with Klaus. He was like her brother!

"Trust me, even the dead at the Presbyterian heard about you," he chuckled, although he really felt bad for her at the time.

"He's my friend, a brother. Maybe I'm a sister he used to have or never had," she tried to fish some more information from the man ahead of her, but he wasn't having it.

"Maybe," Elijah looked away, his expression darkening again. They probably had a sister and if Caroline had to say something, she would say she was also involved in whatever problem Klaus and Elijah had.

"Please, Elijah, just don't tell anybody. It's a good thing if he's trying to reconnect with at least your mother, isn't it? Maybe you'll all become a family again" she used the only argument she had. Elijah seemed to care about his brother and who would want their brother not to have any contact with anyone from their family?

"Now that Mikael is gone, there's a slight possibility of it happening," he thought out loud, also letting his tongue slip. It had been too long since he had talked about Klaus, he wouldn't say things like that if he addressed their problem more often.

"Who is Mikael?" she asked trying to be nonchalant.

"My father, he died a couple of years ago," thinking that it wouldn't hurt to let her know that at least. She had mentioned the supposed meeting between his brother and his mother after all.

"Mikael Mikaelson, that's a mouthful," she commented and Elijah laughed. She was just like Katherine described.

"I feel my brother's visit to my mother isn't what you were debating on telling me or not," he resumed their previous conversation and she actually groaned softly.

"Katherine is right, you're too smart, it's annoying," she commented.

"I'm happy to know Katherine has such delightful opinions about me, now back to my brother?" he insisted on the topic.

"I already said too much, you on the other hand didn't say anything except you father died and about your family hating on Klaus," she tried to bargain more information, but she should know better than this.

"How about I don't talk to my mother about what you just told me and you tell just this only other thing," he proposed, and he could see she was thinking things over.

"I don't know," she offered, when another message arrived. She didn't have to check it to know Klaus was reminding her ten minutes were over.

"Forgiveness is not my brother's forte, Caroline, he would know easily you were the one to tell me about his trip to London," Elijah offered while he played with the pen on his hand. It seemed like he was scheming her death right in front of her.

"He forgave your mother," she offered, now truly desperately. Was he blackmailing her?

"My mother forgave him, Caroline, not the other way around," he informed, looking at her only briefly, before looking back at the pen in his hands.

"What could he possibly do to cause his whole family to turn their backs on him? Do you know he saves money to buy his lunch? New York is an expensive city and I wonder how he's made it until now, and don't take me wrong, but those designer suits you wear every day, your James Bond's cars and the castle in England scream money that I'm sure wasn't entirely earned by you," she decided to up her game. She wouldn't let the man intimidate her like that. Katherine was right. Elijah could be scary even if he did look like a GQ magazine model.

"It would seem that you are very smart yourself, Caroline. And yes, my family could be considered wealthy, but I didn't know Klaus was short on money," he answered honestly and softly, knowing he had scared her. It hadn't been his intention at all, but that was how he reacted when he felt constrained and she was trying to make him talk about things he didn't want to, although he was doing just the same to her. "Now what was that you were going to say about Niklaus?" he asked, and she just wanted to punch him in the face.

"You, Mikaelson men, are just infuriating!" she shrieked, showing her nervousness.

"Why is that?" he chuckled at her small panic attack.

"Because you use your sexy accent and soft words just so you can just manipulate everyone around you, then when you don't you discreetly blackmail us!" she protested, even raising her hands in the air. In that moment she had completely forgotten he was also her boss.

"Do you think my accent is sexy, Dr. Forbes?" he smirked at her, and for the first time ever she saw something he and Klaus had in common, though Klaus was cocky about himself all the time.

"I thought we had agreed to talk to each other on first name basis for this conversation?" she challenged back.

"My sincere apologies, Caroline. Does Katherine share the same opinion? I'm only interested in knowing about me, there's some information regarding my brother I don't need to know," he said trying to lighten the atmosphere again, but he wouldn't let her go until she confessed whatever it was that was going on with his brother.

"She still loves you, you know?" Caroline said as a matter of factly.

"Does she?" his voice was soft and she could catch the hopeful tone.

"Of course she does, but that's a conversation I'll save for later," she changed the subject before she said more than she should.

_I'm going to eat your dinner. Don't care what you aren't going to eat. Honestly, how long will it take? Who are you with in the first place? It's thirty past seven._

_Give me some more time,_ she answered hoping now she would really leave the room soon.

"I'm going to go, before I say something else I will regret, Klaus is waiting for me, it's him texting me every five minutes, he's hungry it seems and he happens to be very annoying when he's hungry," she commented before standing up.

"He's been like that since he was a child. If you want to see Klaus in a bad mood, let him starve," Elijah chuckled at a memory of a very young Klaus crying his lungs off because he was hungry.

"You're telling me!" she agreed throwing her hands in the air again, before putting her phone away on her purse.

"Thank you, Caroline, it's comforting to know Niklaus finally has someone to have his back again. A family even, as you called yourselves," he said, standing up as well and walking her to his door.

"Did you use to be close? You and Klaus and the rest of your siblings?" she asked once they reached the door, that was still closed.

"The closest, Niklaus, I and our sister were as close as family bonds go," Elijah said, and this time there wasn't any darkness in his voice or face, just plain sadness.

"Do miss him?" she asked, stopping herself from touching. That would be too inappropriate even if they were talking about their personal lives. But she couldn't see someone hurting around her and not feel like she wanted to take them in her arms and comfort them until it passed.

"Not a day in the past ten years went by when I didn't miss my brother," he confessed, with a sad and broken smile on his face, this time his eyes were definitely teary.

"I'm sure he misses you, too," she offered with a warm smile, and dared to touch his arm through his long sleeved dress shirt.

"Now who has used their easy words and sweet accent to manipulate others, Caroline?" he answered, regaining his composure.

"I didn't plan on it like you Mikaelson men do, you know very well what you're doing," she smiled, lightening the atmosphere again.

"Too bad you already learned how to resist it with Niklaus, have a pleasant evening, Caroline," he offered opening the door for her.

"He has nightmares from time to time. It's only been a few months since he's been living with me, but it's already happened a few times. It seems like when he wakes out he breaks everything around him out of rage or something. He's a tortured man, Elijah," she turned back to look at him.

"My brother has been broken, Caroline, in his head by himself, and unfortunately I don't think anyone could ever fix him," Elijah sighed, and she could see he too was tortured about his brother's condition.

"There's always a way to fix things. The only unfixable thing is death," she offered softly.

"As doctors we know better than anyone that not only death breaks people beyond fixing, Caroline," he answered with a melancholic tone.

"He can be fixed, Elijah, I know he can, even if I don't know what caused it. I've seen it in his eyes that he's trying now and even though I don't know him that much or have known him for that long, I know it wasn't there before. It's something new, something very recent. That's probably why he visited your mother or a consequence of it," she said, feeling her phone vibrating once again.

"Maybe you're right," he said, though it was clear he didn't mean it.

"Time will show you I am, but maybe knowing his older brother forgave him would help the process," her face lit up with positivity.

"I don't know about that, Caroline," he answered quietly.

"I'm pretty confident," she grinned and nodded her head.

"Actually I don't know if I have already forgiven Niklaus," he clarified, with a sorry look on his face.

"Oh," her demeanor changed, sobering. She hadn't expected that.

"Good night, Caroline, your words are safe with me," he assured, before reaching for the door's knob.

"Good night, Elijah," she answered, turning to walk away.

"And Caroline?" he called before she went too far.

"Yes?"

"Maybe I'm not the one that could be helping the process. Thank you for being there for him," he offered and entered inside his office again, while the blond stood there, thinking about his words.

* * *

_AN: Please, read and review and make a writer happy ;)  
_

_Thanks a lot to all my reviewers, and a special thanks to **Erin** my beta.  
_

_So, what do you think happened that led not only Elijah but all the Mikaelson's to give their back to Klaus? There will be more **hints** and a bit of information revealed in a couple of chapters, but the whole story will be uncovered later.  
_

_Next: tons of Klaroline, and a VERY jealous Klaus and a little bit more of the gang hanging out (part of the gang + attending docs).  
_

_xoxo  
_


	6. Chapter V

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter V**

* * *

Caroline walked around the hospital distractedly. She wasn't stupid. She knew what Elijah meant with his words, but could it be possible? Could she have any influence on Klaus? There was only one way to know. She had long forgotten how tired she was, and even walking towards the parking lot she didn't seem to feel how sore her body was.

"Finally! I was about to attack girls crossing the lot and check if they had something to eat in their bags," Klaus offered as soon as Caroline opened the noticed right away she was distracted, seeing how she didn't even say anything, just sat there, looking at the space ahead of her. "Caroline?" he called softly.

"Yes? Sorry, one of the doctors just called me into this last minute meeting," she answered, with a small and weak smile that Klaus knew better.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, showing more concern than he would have liked.

"Yea, still hungry?" she asked, offering an even worse smile, a fake one, that he already knew too well.

"More than ever," he answered, squinting a little. He didn't buy that she was okay, but he wasn't going to push.

"How about we go to the Grill? You wouldn't have to wait until we arrive home and I think you already ate all the leftovers from the fridge," she offered, but her eyes were still lost somewhere. Something was definitely up.

"True, but it's almost eight, the Grill is packed with the hospital's staff," he reasoned and she knew he had a point.

"Let's go to the Mexican place down two blocks. Dinner is on me," she finally looked at him, with a better smile, but he still knew there was something wrong.

"On you?" he asked for confirmation when he only really wanted to appraise her reaction a little bit more.

"Yes, now get the car running, you're not the only one who's hungry," she said before turning to open her window, even though it was October and it was already chilly always seemed to feel more cold than anyone he knew. That was the final proof he needed to know for sure something was wrong in the world of Caroline Forbes.

But his assessment of her emotions wasn't exactly on target. She was pensive and not her usual talkative self, but it wasn't because something wasn't okay. Well, there was something wrong. But it wasn't something new. She had been concerned about Klaus for a long time, but it was only once they got closer that she felt like she should do something about it, and Elijah's words only reinforced her intentions. But what she really wondered was whether or not she had already changed him.

He had moved in a little before the end of their internship year. It had been about three and a half months since he been around, but was there anything different from who he was before they became roommates? That was where her thoughts were at the moment and they were frustrating her. Klaus was too collected for her to know. She could say for sure he had changed since he came back from his vacation. He seemed less somber than before. But he seemed to have changed even more since their moment in the on call room a little over than a week ago. It was still too soon to say, but they were definitely closer.

He had also become closer to the rest of the gang since they started their second year. He had been more talkative around their friends, even attempting a few jokes here and there, but he rarely started any conversations and he never talked about himself. And yet today at lunch he had spoken of his brother by some nickname, although she was positive it had been a slip of the tongue.

It was different with her and him. Even though he still didn't talk about himself, he would initiate a lot of conversations during dinner and he even watched TV with her a couple of nights ago. But the biggest difference was how much more comfortable around her he had become, it was how he didn't mind when she touched him – although she had never dared to touch him before last week, and she was still under the impression that Klaus wasn't a hugging kind of person. But that didn't mean he wasn't showing how he cared about her. He seemed to be checking on her, just like he'd done moments ago. He must care about her in some way. Whereas with the rest of their friends he was just hanging out during breaks or at the Grill.

"Can I eat your entire dessert, sweetheart?" he asked, but she didn't say anything back.

"Yes?" he asked louder and she came out of her trance.

"Sure," she answered with a small smile.

"Come on, what's going on, love?" he asked once they had arrived and were seated. He had her attention now, and he didn't feel like relinquishing it. But she didn't say a word except to their waitress. This was totally unlike Caroline to be quiet, especially with her behavior the past few days. She was finally reminding him of that cheery and bright girl he had met a year ago.

"Nothing," she dismissed his question with a fake smile.

"Was that meeting of yours about work at all?"

"What? Of course, why do you even asking?" she answered quickly before taking a sip from her glass of water. Klaus caught onto her anxious and nervous mood immediately. His suspicions had been right, the attending she had talked to must have been Mason, and he was sure it wasn't to discuss any patient's case.

"Probably because you just agreed to let me eat your dessert all by myself, sweetheart. And if I remember correctly from our most recent conversation, you said that the next time you ordered a chocolate cake I would not only pay for yours, but also buy one for myself," he commented with a tilt of his lips and mimicking her movement by reaching for his own drink – a beer.

"Chocolate makes me sleepy. I could barely keep myself awake this afternoon and I had to stand for five hours," she explained, but she knew her bluff wouldn't convince him.

"One more reason why you should have another slice of chocolate cake, it will get you to bed quicker and easier."

"But I want to take a nice long bath today. And! I need to be fully awake to partake in that activity if I don't want to accidently fall asleep and drown. Now would that be tragic, like seriously tragic, and all because of a piece of chocolate cake." her dramatics gave him pause. His slight frown deepening, but he remained silent.

"So how have you enjoyed our second year so far?" she spoke after a pause, trying to make small talk. There was no way she was going to ask a personal question to start off if she wanted to fish for some answers. She needed to lure him in first.

"Fine, I guess. It's good not to be an intern anymore. Even better to boss them around," he shrugged.

"I didn't mean it like that," she said, although she shouldn't have.

"What did you mean then?"

"Are you enjoying yourself in the house?" she asked and maybe it was her tiredness that was finally taking its toll, but her word choice was getting worse and worse.

He frowned, but answered anyway. "The house environment has definitely improved since Judgy left,"

"She isn't that bad," Caroline smiled, though she knew sometimes Bonnie could be a challenge.

"I'd rather have your company alone, sweetheart," he answered, and Caroline could swear she heard his voice dip lower. Was he flirting? Or was he admitting that he enjoyed her? It had been over a year since the last time – and only – time Klaus had flirted with her.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked, not being able to handle the uncertainty of what he meant.

"I just said it, why wouldn't I mean it?" he answered simply, and all she wanted to do was slap him. What a totally Klaus-like to answer a question without _really_ answering it.

"Maybe you're flattering me to get that dessert," he smirked naughtily. She had to admit, he looked nearly impossible to resist when he smirked like that. There was an aura of mystery and sex about Klaus that was certain to help him sleep with so many women. Caroline may have not been affected by it – too much – but it was there and she started realizing it more often lately. When she was with Mason, she only had eyes for her boyfriend. Later, she was too depressed to acknowledge any man around her even if it was her big crush Henry Cavill. But now, as her emotions stabled out all she hoped for was her and Mason to find a way back to each other. Although it seemed that now she was starting to realize men in a way that she hadn't since she started dating the neurosurgeon.

"You said dinner was on you, love. So it's you who's paying this tab either way," he shrugged, sipping his beer again.

"We're friends, right?" she asked, hoping this time she would have a decent answer.

He didn't answer, just sort of nodded and shrugged.

"Can I ask you a question, as a friend then?" she looked at him nervously.

"Sure, why not," he said, but they were interrupted by the waitress with their food. He was sure she was going to talk about whatever she and Mason had spoken about. Maybe he should convince her to stay away from the Lockwood doctor for once and for all? Caroline used the few seconds she had to think of what exactly she should ask. She didn't know if she should ask about him meeting his mother or about the reason behind the episodes.

"Why did you hide from everyone that Elijah was your brother, even though everyone suspected you were somehow related? Mikaelson is hardly a common name," she settled for asking about his brother. The other two questions would sound completely out of nowhere, especially since it had been a while since he had come back from London, and it had been two weeks since his last episode.

"We aren't exactly brothers… not anymore, I thought that was clear, sweetheart," he answered, quite uncomfortably, the opposite to his careless words.

"I was just… curious," she said. The answer was far from enough. It had been useless actually, but it wasn't as if her question had been very good. She just had to think of something better if she wanted to solve the mysterious man sitting across from her.

"Now that I answered your question I guess I've earned the same favor?"

"Sure?"

"Is everything okay, sweetheart? And don't try to say it is for the third time. I was honest with you, it's only right if you're honest with me as well," he asked, but he couldn't understand why it was so important to him to know if she was okay. He had asked twice, as he just mentioned, if she didn't want to tell the truth it wasn't a problem, and to his gain. He didn't want to deal with anyone else's problems. He already had a lot of them himself.

_Damn you Mikaelson men and your manipulative ways,_ she thought, while thinking about how to answer him honestly, but without blowing up her secret conversation with Elijah.

"I don't think you want to hear the answer to that question," she avoided his eyes, playing with the water in front of her.

"Well, I asked, so I'm pretty sure I want to know the answer," he insisted, despite thinking it made no sense to keep pushing her for an answer.

"I'm concerned about someone I care a lot about," she offered vaguely. She may have learned a thing or two from both Mikaelson brothers, even though her time with them was little to nothing.

"And why is that?"

"He… he's special to me. I can see that he's going through a lot of things, but he won't say anything. I care about him, I really do, and it hurts me to see him hurting like that. Actually I'm not even sure he's aware he's hurting anymore. It's like he doesn't even feel the pain and just got used to feeling it 24/7 for God knows how many years," she said and the way she looked right into his eyes made him uneasy. Could she really be talking about… him?

"And what happened that made you remember this friend of yours between lunch and now? You practically normal, and now you look almost worse than when you came back from vacation," he said, and she actually wondered how he could know that. Had he been trying to solve her the same way she had been trying to solve him? Did he really care that much about her? Could he really say so easily, and so quickly, know her when her mood changed? They hadn't been friends for too long, but it seemed he could already read her like a book. It sent a shiver through her body as the thought crossed her mind.

"I looked at him, really looked at him and saw it all. It's all there to be seen although he hides it and pretends it doesn't exist," she looked deep into his eyes again, and for a moment he felt she was reaching out to his soul.

"Caroline…" he said tiredly, now knowing for sure she meant him.

"Klaus, I mean every word I just said," she quickly answered, not wanting to offer him an out, or a way to escape the conversation.

"As much as I meant it too, Caroline. I'm fine, you don't need to worry about anything," he rested against the back of his chair, sighing deeply.

"Don't you keep trying to say that to me Klaus. Nobody can be fine if they won't talk to their brother. More so if they don't actually consider their brother as their brother anymore," she retorted and Klaus knew he would have to be rude or harsh if he wanted to make her stop. Caroline was a ball of fire when she wanted to be, a real force to be reckoned with when she had her head set about something. And unfortunately for him it seemed like her mind was set on him.

"Don't make assumptions," he answered annoyed.

"Then talk to me, if you talk to me I won't assume anything," she spoke heatedly also showing her frustration.

"Elijah hasn't been part of my life for at least ten years, when you lose contact with your family like that it's hard to reconnect," Klaus said after pondering for a moment. He knew she wouldn't let it go, bu the didn't want to lie to her. Besides, there was no chance he would ever tell her what really happened. It was easier to speak of the consequence rather than the cause of their problems.

"Oh please," she spoke with a scoff, "Don't patronize me. I may be blond, but I'm not stupid. If you had just lost contact with your family you wouldn't avoid your brother. It's one thing to feel like a stranger, it's another to make sure you're a stranger," she actually sounded offended and maybe he had underestimated her intelligence by thinking an answer like that would have been enough.

"I don't know why this is any of your business, Caroline," he spoke finally with heat invading his words, but she didn't blink a lash. She knew he was only trying to make her shut up. Frighten her with harsh words into submission.

"It isn't, but I can't help it, okay? I care about you and I want you to be happy," she answered, and that was a typical Caroline way to think of things ― to feel things. And yet it was the truth, not just some answer used to work in her favor.

"There's nothing making me unhappy, except for this conversation," his eyes narrowed.

"Bullshit," she answered harshly.

"As I said earlier, don't pretend to know me, Caroline," his voice was low and the way he looked at her almost scared her. It was threatening.

"Fine!" she agreed angrily and turned her attention exclusively to her food. Klaus was thankful for the end of the conversation, but a few of the words dropped by her actually resonated on his head.

"I'm not worth it, sweetheart," he said barely above a whisper several minutes later.

"It's going to be pointless to tell you otherwise, so I'm not going to waste my time," she answered shortly, still angry at him.

"You shouldn't ruin your perfectly happy day because of me," he added, and she realized he'd meant more when saying he wasn't worthy of her concern. She moved her hand to rest over his and seeing like he didn't move it away, she squeezed it softly.

"Then let me convince you at least of something?" she asked, and he didn't say anything. She took his silence as a yes and continued. "I care about you, Niklaus, and you and your happiness will make my days better as much as your sadness will ruin them. There's nothing you can do about it and there's nothing I can do about it. That's just who I am," she confessed not only her feelings for him, but also how Caroline Forbes felt about her friends. She didn't have many, but she was deeply connected with the few she had.

"Please, don't call me that," he asked, looking away from her.

"I'm sorry," she offered. She noticed that was the only name Elijah used about his brother. She didn't expect him to react so negatively to it. Another clue to his dislike for his family.

"That's the only thing you captured from what I said?" she asked softly, her fingers craving to touch him more. She didn't know why she felt like that, maybe because she thought he needed it more than anyone she knew. But the way her body reacted when she touched him was _different_. It wasn't a sexual at all. It was something else, something that she had yet to figure out.

"No. But as you said, I'm not going to change your mind about it, so that was the only thing I had to say back," he dismissed her words and she was slightly hurt by his answer even though she knew she shouldn't be. He was clearly asking her not to care about him, and it _hurt_. Not only because he was rejecting her and her feelings, but mainly because he was rejecting himself. It was as if he didn't want anyone to care about him. Actually it genuinely seemed like he thought he wasn't worth of anyone's affections, even if only friendship. Those thoughts made Caroline go crazy wanting to fix the problem between him and his family. It had deeply damaged Klaus and her heart felt for him.

But seeing him reject her like that also made her want to be closer to him, to really feel him and before she thought about it, she intertwined their fingers together, and unexpectedly, he didn't seem to mind.

"Thanks for letting me care about you," she said the opposite of what she felt as she stroked her thumb over his hand. He looked uncomfortable by the intimate touch, but he didn't move his hand away and she didn't either until they resumed eating their food some moments later.

* * *

The drive back home had been somewhat awkward. Klaus was quieter than usual – at least the lately usual – and Caroline was still pensive. Why did he have to be so defensive? He didn't sound bitter when he said he and Elijah weren't family anymore. He looked conformed by it and careless, but she could swear there was also a little bit of guilt and sadness in his eyes. But that was it. Klaus always had the empty, sad, lost look in his eyes. She didn't remember a time when she had actually seen him happy or even joyful. Not even when he joked. His laughter never seemed to reach his eyes. It seemed he lived in a constant state of misery.

"I think we should go to the hospital in two cars," he said once they entered the house and he handed her her car's keys.

"Klaus," she tried to protest. It seemed like her plan had backfired and he was already making sure to put some space between them.

"Really, then if you have any meetings or if I get stuck in a surgery neither needs to wait for the other," he reasoned, but they both knew that wasn't the reason why he was suggesting it.

"Don't shut me out," she pleaded, but as expected, he dismissed her.

"I'm being practical here, Caroline," he simply said, walking towards the staircase.

"You're using my name," she protested, following him.

"I didn't know you didn't like your name," he answered carelessly. It was as if he had turned some switch off. There was no emotion in his voice, and it killed her. She should have given their friendship more time before trying to talk about his problems. It was still too new and fragile, and seemingly also too easy to be dismissed.

"I like it when you call me sweetheart," her voice was filled with her emotions. She had been honest. She didn't know why she liked when he used the corny pet names with her, but she did. She knew it was a Klaus' thing and he did the same with everybody else, but still she felt special when he used it with her.

"I'll try to remember it," he answered, still emotionless, and his back to her.

"And you only call me Caroline when you're trying to evade me," she said, catching up with him and holding his arm to keep him in place.

"Caroline…" he was over this conversation. Couldn't she understand he didn't want to talk?

"Point proved," she retorted, and he could catch the pain in her voice. He was already hurting her.

"Good night, thanks for dinner," he said before removing himself from her grasp.

"Wait," she asked, reaching for his hand now. It seemed like she really couldn't stop herself from touching him.

"What?" he asked, although there was no harshness in his voice, just tiredness.

She didn't say anything, and just stood at the tip of her toes to kiss his cheek again. "Good night, Klaus," she whispered, walking by him and going upstairs while he stood in the middle of the living room. He had to tell her to stop kissing him like that.

It was only an innocent kiss on the cheek, but it affected him more than he wanted to. Why did she have to be so caring? Why did she have to think of him as someone special to her? It didn't make any sense. He didn't deserve it. He didn't want it. And it was driving him crazy; it was making everything so much more difficult.

If only he could afford somewhere else to live he would leave. He lived in his truck for a few weeks and it had been hell. He had also lived very far from the Presbyterian when he moved to New York, but he chose the hospital that had the better plastics program among the many he had been accepted in. He didn't expect the city to be so expensive and he barely had money to pay his rent and gas from where he used to live. It also didn't help that he took about an hour to go to work and an hour and a half to arrive at home when he left at six or five.

He wouldn't go back to that life just because the girl he lived with was nosy. But that wasn't the real problem. He couldn't really think of Caroline like that. He knew she wasn't nosy. She wasn't just trying to take care of him to find out what the feud between him and Elijah was about. She genuinely cared about him. He could see it in her actions, not only towards himself, that she was a kind person. For one, the ridiculous rent of six hundred dollars she charged them when they were four in the house. The house didn't have a mortgage, as Grayson had inherited the house, and she only had the usual expenses a house would have and the bills, but still she could charge much more. Especially because of the house's location and the amenities inside. Hardwood flooring throughout the house, washer and dryer, dishwasher, two full bathrooms and one and a half bathroom. Not to mention that hardly any renovations had been done on the Victorian styled home, only those that were necessary. The fairer price to charge would definitely pass a thousand dollars. But she said she knew by experience that intern's wage were ridiculous. Did he mention that she was compassionate and empathetic?

That was Caroline Forbes for you. She thought about everyone else before thinking about herself. She was kind and compassionate, and Klaus knew she had the best intentions at heart when she tried to make him talk to her. Her intentions were also most likely brought on because of the episodes that followed his nightmares. But he couldn't stop the rage every time he woke up seeing Rebekah lifeless body in the backyard .littered with blood and wounds.

He couldn't stop the rage because it had been his fault. He was the reason why his family lost their girl. But that was a story he would never share with anyone. _Especially not Caroline_. That was a story he had spent most of his money on, but still no therapist had effectively helped him. A story he never wanted to remember, but that he still relived in his nightmares. A story that had ruined not only himself, but his family.

It had been the end of Rebekah's life.

* * *

Caroline didn't press Klaus to talk in the following days. Although, as they started going to work in separate cars again she had argued once more with him about how illogical it was .He didn't budge. He had been so drained the past few days he wasn't able to even pursue another girl to sleep with. He wanted nothing more than to just sleep, but it was Friday and the gang was meeting at the Grill and when Caroline invited him he didn't put up a fight.

His feelings for Caroline were still a mystery to him. Almost all his drawings lately had been of her. The other night he even dared drawing her as she slept in the TV room's couch. She looked so beautiful and it was a rare opportunity for him to have her in front of him as he tried to make justice of her features. It had been his favorite drawing to date, leading him to even paint it on the canvas, but not matter how close he could be to her, he was still unable to capture her essence. He could reproduce her beauty perfectly fine, but that wasn't what made Caroline so endearing, so enticing, so tempting. It wasn't something physical. It was her light, her sweet personality, her affectionate gaze, her contagious joy.

And that was part of what made Caroline such a mystery for him. She had had such a hard life from what he learned at the hospital corridors. He had witnessed more than once how Liz used to treat her own daughter, humiliating and dismissing the young blond gratuitously. And then there was her father, who had abandoned her while she was still a toddler and who she had never seen since. To top it all off she found out her boyfriend was married, and his wife had come to reclaim him. And last but not least, her mother died, before ever letting Caroline know how amazing she was. Where did all that light and joy come from? How could she keep that beautiful smile of hers in spite of the life she was given?

"This place is packed," Katherine complained when they entered the restaurant/bar across the street.

"It's the closest place to hang out," Stefan added.

"But there's only Presbyterian staff here, trust me, I wouldn't mind meeting someone who doesn't wear scrubs or lab coats," the brunette added. Actually what really bothered her was the possibility of meeting Elijah. She knew he had been going out of his way to avoid her, but there was only so many ways to avoid a co-worker, especially if they were your their boss.

"I don't have any prejudice," Klaus shrugged, taking some of the nuts in the center of their table.

"Sorry, I'm late," Caroline joined them a few minutes later.

"You're always late, Care," Stefan smiled, and she stuck her tongue at him.

"I was in a procedure with Ric," she answered, before signaling for a waiter, "I'm starving," she said eyeing the menu she already knew by heart.

"Another common recurrence in the life of Caroline Forbes," Katherine smirked.

"This body needs its energy," the blond said, before turning to the waiter and giving her order.

"It's a lot of energy indeed, Care," Stefan completed, and she just shrugged.

It wasn't unexpected for her to notice that Klaus had yet to talk to her ever since she joined them, but it didn't bother her too much, especially because her mouth was busy while she ate. She knew what he was doing and she was actually going to respect it. She had seen firsthand what pressuring him did and she was going to wait until he was comfortable around her again before she resumed her efforts.

"Hello, Blondie," someone said really close to her ear causing her to shiver. She knew that voice too well and she was mad at her body for betraying her. But it had been almost three months since the last time she had had sex.

"Damon," she turned on her seat to slap his arm.

"I've missed you, didn't know I was a package with Mason now that you broke up with him," he faked being hurt, and ignored her friends altogether.

"Actually it's been crazy these past few weeks; this is the first time I went out since the night you brought Rose here," she explained.

"You'd have to be more specific than that," he smirked.

"Never miss a chance, huh?" Caroline smirked, drinking from the straw in her drink.

"Join us, I miss my favorite dirty mistress," he said low enough for her to hear.

"And who is 'us' exactly?" she asked. She had surprisingly missed hanging out with him. They had a lot of fun.

"Well it was Rose and S, but they're talking about Mason, and their missed friendship, and nails, and dresses, I need you to save me," he said in his most serious voice, and his face looked almost terrified.

"So you want me to hang out with my ex's ex-wife and his sister? Wow Damon, you really love me, don't you?" she smirked, enjoying the taste of the alcohol. It had been over two weeks since she had had any alcohol. But she would make sure she wasn't going anywhere near tequila this time.

"No… I'm asking you to dance, let's go!" he said taking her by the hand and leading them to the dance floor. It really didn't bother either of them that a lot of people from their workplace were there and could come to the wrong idea of the two co-workers dancing so close – and sensually – with one another.

"Such a polite man, that brother of yours is," Katherine said as Damon and Caroline danced.

"He doesn't try to be polite, he's just… Damon," the younger Salvatore answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"A hello wouldn't have hurt," Katherine added, not that she really minded it.

"He likes Caroline," Stefan stated, with some sort of smile on his face. He knew it was a big deal for Damon to really like someone.

"Who doesn't?" Katherine asked, smiling at her friend and it was true. Caroline was just so easy to like. She was nice, normally didn't mind other people's business unless she made them their business. But even then, she only paid that kind of attention to her true friends. One of them that now had his eye glued on the couple on the dance floor.

"Are they sleeping together?" Klaus asked, though his tone was somewhat playful, not revealing that it actually bothered him to see Caroline so close to Damon.

"It's always a possibility with my brother," Stefan shrugged again.

"You think Caroline would have learned from her lesson with Mason…" the blue-eyed man answered, taking a long gulp of his beer.

"Damon and Mason aren't the same," Stefan tried to defend his brother, but he knew it was a difficult case. Damon hadn't done so many things that worked in his favor.

"If Caroline is sleeping with Damon it's out of horniness. Straight up. She doesn't have feelings for him like that." Katherine stated, although she really doubted Caroline was sleeping with anyone. Her friend seemed to be in a relatively good place lately and sex didn't seem to be a need just yet.

"I'm the one who lives with her, he hurts her, I'm the one who suffers," Klaus simply commented, and Katherine actually frowned. It seemed like he had got over his jerk days, maybe they were wrong.

Soon Serena and Rose joined the pair on the dance floor and they were making a spectacle of themselves. Damon was somehow dancing with the three blonds, who were practically throwing their bodies shamelessly at the shameless man.

"At least your brother knows how to have fun, you could learn a thing or two from his book Stefan," Katherine mocked some minutes later.

"I know how to have fun," the brooding blond answered.

"You just don't usually have it, is that so?" she chuckled, pushing his buttons.

"Not that I have anything to prove to you," Stefan said, taking a gulp from his beer before leaving the table and joining his brother.

"Look girls, it's our lucky night, not only do we have one Salvatore to our mercy, but two!" Rose said as soon as Stefan joined them.

"Rose," he greeted her somewhat shyly.

"Steffie," the blond – slightly intoxicated – threw herself at him, "Dance with me," she said wrapping her arms around his neck as they began to move sensually.

"The amount of sexual tension between your brother and Ros is the stuff made of legends," Serena smirked as she danced with Damon and Caroline, the dark-haired man holding each blond in an arm.

"Oh that's cute, Stef actually has sexual tension," Caroline smirked, knowing Stefan couldn't hear them.

"Trust me, I know how hard it is to believe," Damon followed up with a similar smirk as they continued dancing.

"Is Ryan joining us tonight, S?" Damon asked seeing how his friend was even more intoxicated than Rose. There was no way he was allowing her to drive home. Rose got drunk with just a couple of drinks, but Serena seemed to have had much more than just a couple.

"Yes, he had a late meeting with a client, he'll be here any moment now," she said checking her watch.

"Who is Ryan?" Caroline asked.

"My husband," Serena answered, with a big smile on her face, as she looked past Caroline.

"Yes, the sex on legs walking our way," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the sexiest man alive," Serena said, letting go of Damon and meeting a tall, dark-haired man.

"He's hot," Caroline chuckled as Serena made out with her husband without a care in the world.

"And what am I, Blondie?" he asked, moving both of his hands to her waist, his hot breath ghosting over her neck. A wave of goose bumps trailed across her skin in a flash at the sensation.

"You, are _insanely _hot, Damon Salvatore," she offered, biting her lip and moving her index finger down his chest.

"And still you won't sleep with me," his hands moved to her hips, as she started to move them slowly back and forth across his body.

"Said who?" she winked as they continued their dance.

Soon the three pairs were making a circle again, this time dancing somewhat separately. Serena had introduced Ryan to Caroline and the younger resident even sat with them when they finally needed to quench their thirst. Somehow it wasn't awkward to hang out with Mason's ex-wife and sister. Granted, Damon was somewhat his best friend and Caroline never had a problem being around the plastic surgeon.

"It seems like we were ditched, Original Evil," Katherine commented as she watched Caroline and Stefan walking towards Damon's table at the opposite side of the bar.

"I'm here for the beers and the hot girls, I don't think either of them has ditched me yet," he simply answered, but the truth was he hadn't noticed any other girl that night but Caroline. What with her feline-like moves on the dance floor with Damon Salvatore?

"Well, I feel ditched and now in need of better company, so I might as well say hello to my bed," she said, calling the waiter to their table. The waiter was just back with her bill when Caroline approached them.

"Hey guys, don't you want to join us?" Caroline offered, a little bit flushed by all the dancing she had done in the past forty minutes or so.

"I'm about to pay my tab, Caroline, thanks for ditching me for the night to have sex on the dance floor with Damon," Katherine faked being hurt, "But I forgive you because we both know I would do the same, maybe just using a different body. Oh, and be sure to repeat the dance moves you were pulling on the dance floor, but remove the clothes. That'll make the night a lot more fun when he takes you home." she said with a wink. The history behind Katherine and Damon was that they had already had their night of hot sex, and somehow the fierce resident had been able to hide it from everyone, including her best friend. If there was an entry on dictionary for 'walk of shame' it should be leaving Damon's bed. But she wouldn't complain about their night. He had that kind of fame for a reason.

"I didn't ditch you. Even Stefan joined us on the dance floor, you used to be more fun, Kat, come on, let's have fun," Caroline said, taking Katherine by the arm.

"I know you don't dance, but if you want to bring your beer to our table," Caroline said to Klaus.

"I'm fine by myself, sweetheart," he answered, and she turned with Katherine, going to the dance floor with her best friend, instead of the table she had moved to.

Caroline knew Katherine was still hurting because of Elijah and while the brunette was an expert on hiding her pain, she didn't put a lot of effort into having some well-deserved fun. Fun like they used to have before and during her relationship with Elijah. Caroline knew she had to do something for her best friend. In her own way Katherine had been there for her during her worst time after breaking up with Mason. She owed Katherine the same respects. As if on cue, the DJ started playing 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun'. He was going through some old songs at the moment and the pair of female residents didn't hold back at all as they danced.

"Wanna sit with us, Klaus?" Stefan offered, coming back to retrieve his beer that had warmed during his time away.

"I'm fine, mate," Klaus answered, his eyes still on Caroline. Stefan followed his eyes and a smile reached his lips.

"It's nice to see Care being herself again," Stefan commented after taking a sip from his beer, only to nearly spit it out. Klaus didn't say anything, just watched as said blond tried to make Katherine do some silly moves with her while the Cyndi Lauper song played. Katherine didn't resist Caroline and soon they were carelessly moving to the songs beats as they pleased.

"I'm going back there, feel free to come over and grab a seat with us," Stefan stood up.

"No thanks mate, I was just planning on leaving," Klaus answered the moment Damon joined the girls again.

"See you Monday then," Stefan said leaving Klaus to himself.

As the night went on the group seemed to slowly trickle out of the bar. After dancing a few more songs with Damon and Caroline, Katherine went home. Rose left just after the brunette, and after having danced a bit with his brother and Caroline, Stefan followed suit .The DJ was slowing up the tempo. Ballads became the songs of the night and Serena and Ryan joined the people on the dance floor.

Just as Caroline was turning to go back to the table, her feet sore from her time on the dance floor, Damon grasped her arm, and pulled her against his chest. There wasn't a strand of hair separating their bodies as they began dancing to some old Bon Jovi song.

"Getting second thoughts about my proposition, Blondie?" he whispered in her ear, as he held her close and moved them slowly.

"Don't take advantage of a girl in desperate need of sex, Damon," she answered with her eyes closed as they danced. She loved this song, her feet be damned.

"Is it taking advantage if she's willing?" he asked seductively, kissing her neck.

"Her body may be willing, but she still knows better," she answered, as her hand played with the hair on at the nape of his neck.

"We could make a perfect pair, Care," he said the nickname he rarely used with her. They were good friends, he cared about her, but he was also undeniably attracted to her and he knew if they ever slept together it wouldn't ruin things between them. Although, the same fact couldn't be said between him and Mason. If he was honest with himself, things had never been the same with him and the Lockwood doctor since he broke Rose's heart.

"I'm not saying we wouldn't," she whispered, barely moving then, his lips on her neck was making her body react and standing was a challenge let alone moving to the song.

"So why waste such potential?" he asked, moving from her neck to her jaw line.

"People can see us here, Damon," her voice sexy and hoarse barely concealing her hidden desire.

"And everyone knows that if I favored every woman from Presbyterian I slept with, there would only be women among the new attending doctors," he offered before finally making it to her lips.

Caroline kissed him back, she had been feeling lonely and he smelled divine, even after all the dancing. He kissed her deeper, his tongue finding its way past her lips to seek out her own. She practically sank into his arms as he nipped and sucked on her lips. She wouldn't sleep with him, but she wasn't about to waste the chance to make out. Besides, she was sure he could find someone to take care of his 'problem' later. He played with women all the time, it was only fair for him to be played from time to time.

Klaus watched the pair from the table and he didn't know why it bothered him so much. He could feel his jaw clench tightly together at the first touch of Damon's lips on her neck. It more than bothered him. It infuriated him. Caroline and Damon weren't even bothering to dance anymore, only their lips and tongues moved together now. And what bothered the male resident the most wasn't even the kiss itself.

It was the way Damon was kissing her. If they had been kissing like the sloppy couple over in the corner that would have been fine. All passion and lust with their drunken minds taking control. But it wasn't like that. Not at all. Damon was taking his time with Caroline, kissing her slowly, without a care in the world. It wasn't heated, or hungry. It was slow and deep.

Feeling himself about to burst from anger he told the waitress to put the beers on his ongoing tab. Then, without a second glance at the dance floor, he left the bar. One thing he knew for sure, he wouldn't be drawing Caroline that night.

* * *

_AN. Hope you don't mind Daroline making out a little bit, but I think it's better Damon rather than Mason, right?_

_Thanks a lot to my reviewers, and my lovely beta, **Erin.**  
_

_An anonymous reviewer asked if the Mikaelson's problems are related to Henrik. This chapter mentioned another sibling (pay attention to the wording I purposefully chose then), but it doesn't mean it only involved Rebekah.  
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_How about you leave me a bunch of reviews and make me happy? (I could use some these days).  
_

_Have a nice week.  
_

_xoxo  
_


	7. Chapter VI

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**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter VI**

* * *

Unlike his previous thoughts, all Klaus could draw that night had been Caroline. The way she moved her body against Damon's had been imprinted in Klaus' mind and he didn't seem to be able to let it go. At first, he drew because it was the only thing that had ever calmed him down, and he was still fuming by the time he had made it back home. And tonight the habit hadn't been any different in soothing him.

An hour later and Klaus felt like any irritation and anger had finally left, and decided to wait for Caroline to see if she was going to make it home safely. Who knew how much she would be drinking? What if she decided to try and come home stumbling like a fool and she was attacked? Many possibilities ran through his head but he knew deep inside that that wasn't the reason why he was waiting for her, or at least not the only one. Klaus knew there was a high chance she wouldn't be coming to sleep at home at all if she and Damon were to finish what they had started in front of half of the hospital's staff. But after waiting until nearly three in the morning, he concluded he was right in his assumption of her sleeping arrangements for the night and decided to go to sleep as well.

But the moment he put away his pencil and paper, and had peeled off his clothes to sleepwear — his boxers (not briefs) — his mind went into a reverie. He couldn't stop thinking about what Caroline was doing at that very moment. Then more pressed matters started to occupy his mind. And those thoughts were nothing new. Why was he even mad that Caroline decided to sleep with Damon-bloody-womanizer-Salvatore? It was none of his business and he _shouldn't_ care that Damon seemed a lot more involved than he should in a one-night-stand. _He shouldn't_. But no man who only wants to have sex would kiss their willing prey like that. He had seen Damon Salvatore in action too many times, and while he had never really paid any further attention to the plastic surgeon's moves, he hadn't been blind to them either. A few times someone in the gang would make a joke while they watched their boss putting on his moves to some nurse or resident. What got to Klaus the most was how well he could relate to Damon when it came to seducing women. They seemed to have the same… pursuing style. They didn't tend to stalk their prey too much, instead opting for a casual walk around them, let them feel the tension rise before they went in for the fatal blow. There was no fancying or big gestures of flattery, just going in for kill as soon as they identified a weakness.

That meant they skipped the soft kisses, and hand holding, and went straight to the main attraction. If the hunting was done in public they couldn't find themselves bothered to stop their actions in front of an audience, so what if that meant giving the people around them a glorified peep show. Lips and hands explored every inch of skin exposed and exposed as much previously covered skin in the process. It was all again. Leave the women wanting more, so that they come back begging for more.. Klaus knew another predator when he saw one, and had already seen those exact tactics in Damon's moves more than once. But what the raven-haired man had with Caroline earlier had been anything but the usual Damon Salvatore tactics.

_That_ was driving Klaus crazy. The not knowing why he was reacting like this. It challenged his sanity. He had been attracted to Caroline since he had laid eyes on her— who wouldn't be? She was exactly his kind of woman physically wise. He preferred them blond and curvy, and she definitely had other very beautiful features. Such as her eyes. Her smile. Her perfectly curled hair. But when she showed no interest he had simply moved on to his next target.

But he was a man, and from time to time, especially since he had moved in and saw her in her barely-there-shorts, he would feel his body reacting to hers. With a heavy sigh he it was time he was honest with himself. Besides, it wasn't as if he could foresee sleep coming for him any time soon. He was more than attracted to Caroline Forbes and he first started realizing it when he started feeling guilty for sleeping with her sister.

Granted, he met Elena and slept with her before he had asked her last name. At first she had only introduced herself as Elena. It wasn't until Monday morning, when both of them arrived earlier, that he saw her badge. Not even a minute later Elena was asking him if he knew Caroline Forbes. He didn't even need to ask why. Another smart girl who had finished high school earlier and started her internship two years earlier than most did. That, or Grayson Forbes started his affair with Elena's mother before he left Liz. That wasn't something Klaus wanted to know. He had never asked Elena her age and he just didn't care.

At the time he tried to convince himself that he only felt guilty because he had proceeded to sleep with Elena at least two more times after knowing that she was Caroline's sister. His roommate had never said anything about him not sleeping with Elena. Caroline had only ever said for him to not bring the brunette home. But then again, it was an unnecessary comment as she already had a rule in the house about not bringing girls in, unless. The exception of the rule hadn't been a realistic possibility to Klaus or Stefan.

So if Caroline never asked him not to sleep with Elena – not that it was her place to make a request like that – why did he feel so fucking guilty about it? Why had Katherine's comment the other day about not sleeping with siblings hit him as hard as it did? How much longer could he pretend he didn't want to be with Caroline? And he didn't mean sexually at all. Truly, it wasn't about sex with her anymore. Somehow she had managed to get under his armor, and that hadn't happened in a very long time. Tatia had been the last woman to steal his sleep and flood his thoughts like this, but Caroline was nothing like that tart ex-girlfriend. He had fallen for Tatia's sweet, but deceiving words easily. And if he was going to continue to be honest, there was nothing admirable about the woman who had helped him destroy his family. She was a cheap gold digger that couldn't decide between which Mikaelson she should sink her clutches into. She had had to be with each of them – at the same time – to assess which one would be easier to fool into getting into a serious relationship with her.

Elijah would be safest choice, as he was already twenty-six while Klaus was only eighteen. But Tatia was also eighteen and she loved Klaus' careless demeanor when compared to Elijah's collected and serious one. It took the brothers a few months to figure out what was going on, but even when they did they didn't break up with her immediately. They actually asked her to make a choice, as they were both too deeply in love with her to make the choice themselves. Neither had wanted to lose her, even if they had been played and betrayed. The dark haired woman had the audacity to ask more time to decide, saying she loved them both. Elijah had been very reluctant to accept her conditions, but Klaus promptly said he would wait for her. Some weeks later and Elijah also agreed with her terms and she was alternating dates with the brothers, although they had demanded her to make a decision within a month. But Klaus had never planned on playing by the rules. And that was something Tatia loved about him.

Pushing away any thoughts related to the woman he hated, Klaus concentrated his thoughts on the blond angel he lived with. Caroline was caring and warm, unlike a certain ex-girlfriend. Her light seemed to attract and consume his darkness, and he didn't seem to know how to stop it. Caroline had showed concern about him in a way nobody had in a long time. But he attributed this to her kind nature over an actual "interest" in him. Although the thought was nice: her seeing something in him, seeing past the many erected walls. . It felt good to have someone genuinely care about him for once. It had deeply bothered him when she had made those remarks and fired off all of those questions at him during their dinner a few nights ago. But it also felt good to know she had honestly wanted to help him. How could he not feel something for such a beautiful human being? _Bloody hell_, he could hardly get over how beautiful she was inside and out, no matter how cliché it sounded.

And he was finally ready to admit those were his feelings. He liked her, he was attracted to her, he wanted to be with her and not only once. He couldn't deny it to himself anymore. But now that he had finally acknowledged it, was he ready to take action?

* * *

Caroline had a great time with Damon, but she was concerned. She had asked him to take her to Katherine's apartment when he didn't agree to let her drive herself home. The brunette's apartment was closer to the hospital than her house and she didn't want to take more advantage of Damon than she had already. While still on the dance floor, she had broken their kiss to let him know she still wouldn't have sex with him — but that the kissing could most definitely continue. He pondered over her words for a minute, his brows moving together before relaxing, a lazy smirk appearing on his face and his lips were back to hers before any time had seemed to really pass. They had kissed. _A lot_. And at some point, in front of Katherine's apartment it even progressed to something a bit more heavy, but he had kept his word and didn't try anything more.

Oddly enough, after it was all said and done, she didn't think of what her action could do to the possibility of a future reconciliation with Mason until the next day.

She arrived at Katherine's around midnight, using the spare key to gain access. She had slept there a couple of days the past week, to avoid Klaus and to show Katherine she was there for her if she needed a shoulder to lean — or cry — on. What was it with Klaus and Katherine that they couldn't accept people taking care of them? Why was that idea so foreign to them?

"Morning," Katherine said recognizing the body by her side in the bed.

"Morning," Caroline answered. She had been awake for half an hour, but had been too lazy to leave the bed. It was probably near noon, but she felt like she could spend the rest of the day in bed. And her best friend's bed – or Elijah's – was the best bed she had ever slept on. She loved sleeping there and to prove her sentiments she burrowed in deeper under the comforter.

"I don't want to get up," Katherine yawned using her arm to cover her eyes, even though the blinds were blocking any light from entering the room.

"Me neither. My phone has been vibrating in my purse nonstop, but I'm too lazy to check. If it's the hospital, they would page me instead, right?" Caroline asked lightly from her position, following Katherine's movements with her arm.

"Maybe it's Klaus. You do remember you have a roommate, right?" Kat said in an equally light tone, as the two of them rested.

"Klaus isn't exactly speaking with me these days. I mean he answers everything I ask, he's polite, he greets me, but I think he's in one of his moods. I doubt it's him," Caroline offered.

"Bonnie? Stefan? Damon?"

"I'm sure they can survive without me for a couple of hours," the blond offered chuckling.

"It could still be Klaus. Maybe something is wrong in the house?" Katherine offered, although Caroline's phone usually didn't have a ringtone, its vibration mode could be heard from across the room.

"Why don't you get up and get my phone for me? My purse is over by your dresser," Caroline suggested.

"I bet Klaus can survive without you for a couple of hours," the brunette took the pillow from under her head and pressed it against her face.

"There's something I've been procrastinating about telling you," Caroline said, breaking the brief silence.

"Please, tell me it's not about Mason. I already told you Caroline. He still loves you, you still love him, just swallow your goddamn pride and talk to him," Katherine sighed tiredly, before moving her pillow back underneath her head again. If Caroline was going to talk about her relationship with Mason, it was a good thing they were laying down, too lazy to move. Katherine loved Caroline, but she just wanted to shake the blond and put a little bit of sense inside her head. A blind man could see that it was only a matter of time before Mason and Caroline got back together.

"Actually it's about Elijah," Caroline offered quietly.

"Well, not all of us have love puppies as ex-boyfriends, Elijah wants nothing to do with me, and I'm better off without him," Katherine quickly dismissed, like she did every time Caroline tried to talk about him. But this time the blue-eyed girl had something under her sleeve.

"Katherine…" she insisted.

"Caroline, unlike you I don't like deluding myself," the brunette offered harshly. Anyone else would be offended by those words, but Caroline wasn't. She knew this was just Katherine being Katherine and doing everything she could to stop having a conversation she didn't want to have. She reminded Caroline of someone else she had been trying to talk to. Why were her friends so afraid to talk about their feelings?

"And how am I deluding myself?" Caroline asked.

"By thinking you won't forgive Mason sooner or later and get back together with him," Katherine stated as it if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I need more time," the blond tried to argued, but Katherine wasn't having it.

"Another delusion. And how much time for what exactly?" she retorted.

"To forgive him, he kept a wife from me!" Caroline protested.

"And what does time have to do with forgiveness? Forgiveness is a decision, you either do it or you don't. You need to stop punishing him and torturing yourself." Katherine offered softly, in a rare moment of compassion during their talks about Mason.

"It's not like that," Caroline tried to explain herself, but before she had a chance, Katherine was speaking again.

"Yes, it is. You love him, he made a mistake. You either let it go or you don't. What you don't realize is that you've already let it go. You're just afraid now,"

"Afraid of what? I'm sure he can't have another hidden wife," Caroline answered sarcastically. She knew Katherine was right, but she didn't know why she had such a hard time admitting it.

"Afraid of him hurting you, isn't that obvious?" Katherine answered while rolling her eyes.

"That's not tru…" the blond started, but she was promptly interrupted.

"It is. Caroline, for a relationship to work a lot of things in addition to love are required. Trust being one of the most important. If you don't trust Mason with your heart, then you should really evaluate the relationship as a whole. You got over Rose — actually, it seems like I should look after my best friend position." Caroline offered a weak smile to her friend's gentle tease, "I've seen you talking to her around the hospital a bunch of times Care, and last night you just hung out with your ex's ex-wife. You believed his version of the facts the first time he told you them, and I know you're hurt because he decided to give his marriage another try. But can you really blame him? They had been married for eight years, even though the last one sort of didn't even count. They probably dated a while before getting married as well. He owed it to himself and to give it another try," Katherine finally said the words she had been planning to tell Caroline for a while.

"Why are you defending Mason? You hate Mason!" the blond reacted immediately.

"I hate what he did to you, but I don't hate him. He's a decent teacher," Katherine shrugged.

"I'm talking about the man, not the doctor," it was the blonde's turn to roll her eyes.

"He's still a good teacher,"

"But what's your point? I'm still lost in the main things you said," Caroline said ignoring the subject of how Katherine felt about Mason.

"It's just you have to make a decision. And you need to figure out if you can trust him again. You've already forgiven him and you still love him. Can you trust him? Are you still afraid? And in case you are, are you at least willing to take a leap of faith? If yes, just do it, but if no, maybe you should start thinking about just moving on," Katherine offered and Caroline actually stopped to think about it.

"We were supposed to be talking about Elijah," the blond said after a few minutes.

"I'd rather talk the rest of my life about you and Mason than five minutes about Elijah," Katherine admitted, not that Caroline wouldn't have guessed it by herself.

"It seems like you're starting to share things with Klaus," Caroline offered playfully.

"Things between them are complicated, even more than between us," Katherine sighed.

"Wait a minute, has Elijah ever told you about what happened between them?" Caroline immediately sat on the bed.

"Some of it, but I'm sure he didn't even start to cover half of it. It isn't only Elijah who hasn't spoken to Klaus in a long time," the brunette chose her words carefully. She would never tell too much about the things Elijah confessed to her during a moment of intimacy or deep trust.

"I know, Elijah told me that," Caroline answered without realizing what she had just admitted.

"Elijah did what?" Katherine asked shocked.

"Well, that's the conversation I've been postponing," Caroline offered a weak smile, but that bit of information had been enough to make Katherine also sit up, eyes narrowing at her best friend.

"When did you talk to him?" she demanded to know.

"He came to talk to me last week," Caroline offered calmly. Katherine didn't intimidate her.

"What did he want?" the brunette asked almost nervously.

"To talk about Klaus,"

"Oh…," Katherine tried to cover her disappointment. "And how did that go?"

"Frustrating, those Mikaelson men are so _freaking_ frustrating. He didn't tell me anything about Klaus! And somehow I started saying things about Klaus to him," Caroline closed her eyes sighing deeply.

"Like what?"

This was the moment of the truth. Bonnie, Stefan and Caroline agreed they wouldn't tell anyone about Klaus' episodes because they didn't want to share such an intimate thing with people. But Katherine was her best friend, and nobody knew how to keep a secret better than Katherine Pierce.

"Klaus visited his mother during our vacation," Caroline started with the less important of the matters.

"Are you sure? For what I understood nobody in the Mikaelson's family speaks to Klaus anymore," Katherine frowned at the new information.

"Yes, I'm sure," Caroline answered with certainty. Klaus really had no reason to lie about it.

"Well, that's improvement," the brunette offered, although her tone showed she didn't really care.

"But that's not all. Klaus… since he's been living with us, he's had… some nightmares. It gets pretty intense. I could hear his pleads from my bedroom the last time. And then he end up destroying have his room," Caroline offered, but even if she expected Katherine to react to that piece of information, she didn't expect her best friend to be so mad about it.

"Are you living with a psycho all by yourself?" Katherine yelled jumping from the bed.

"It's not like that, Kat," Caroline tried to reason.

"_Seriously_!? You just told me he has violent fits at night!" she threw her hands in the air.

"But he never gets out of his bedroom and he apologizes in the morning and replaces everything he breaks," Caroline tried to explain, but Katherine wasn't having it.

"Caroline, it's okay to be naïve and believe the best in people, it'll come to bite you back, but you'll survive. Now living alone with him is just plain stupid." Katherine felt the urge once more to shake Caroline and see if any common sense would enter her friend's mind. Thankfully she managed to reign in the temptation

"He would never hurt me!" Caroline voice raising as well.

"You don't know that, you don't know him! There must be a very good reason for Elijah and the rest of his siblings, to go _ten years_ without talking to him!" Katherine reasoned.

"Elijah didn't know about the episodes," Caroline protested.

"Caroline, I know you're compassionate, and I admire that about you and I know Klaus is a cool guy, especially when he speaks, but maybe he's sick. Have you ever thought of that?" Slowly Katherine calmed herself, speaking in a more normal tone.

"…I think he's traumatized actually." Caroline spoke after a moment's hesitation, "There's so much guilt in his eyes,"

"You can't make decisions based on what you think you can see in his eyes!" Katherine growled.

"Elijah assured me he's a good guy!" Caroline offered and she knew despite all, Katherine trusted Elijah's assessment of everything. She just hated he was so ethical about a certain things. Like inter-office relationships.

"And how can a good guy be responsible for one of their brothers' death?" the brunette yelled, but regretted saying it the moment the words left her mouth.

"What?" Caroline shrieked, absolutely shocked.

"Shit," the brown-eyed girl muttered under her breath. She said more than she should.

"Is Klaus responsible for someone's death?" Caroline asked dead serious.

"Elijah never said it clearly," Katherine sat again, running her hand through her long hair.

"What were the exact words he used?" Caroline demanded. "That Klaus' bad decisions had led his family to lose his youngest brother, Henrik," Katherine finally explained.

"Katherine! That could mean a lot of things, he could have left a loaded weapon in the reach of a child for all we know, but it doesn't mean he killed someone!" Caroline yelled frustrated. For a moment she had thought the worst of Klaus, not judging him, but wondering that Klaus could have broken in a way maybe no one could fix, like Elijah explained. It would definitely explain some of the damage she had seen.

"But that's the guy you're living with, all by yourself. You know nothing about him!" Katherine protested and Caroline's phone started ringing inside her purse.

The blond stood up and reached for it, seeing she had a lot of missed calls from Klaus and the latest being one among some texts from him as well.

She ignored her best friend for a moment and called him, even before reading the texts.

"_Caroline?"_ he answered just after the first ring, relief clear in his voice.

"Hi, Klaus," she answered.

"_Are you okay, sweetheart? I've been worried about you, you didn't come back last night, and the other nights when you didn't sleep at home you were here before work,_"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm at Katherine's," she offered, glaring at her friend.

"_I've been worried. I called you earlier to ask you to have lunch, but then you didn't answer. I sent a couple of texts, and you still didn't answer, I just thought something had happened. You always answer your phone,_"

"I was sleeping. Add that to that fact that I was feeling particularly lazy this morning equals me not answering my phone." she explained.

"_I know it's not my place, but when something like this happens, and you decide to sleep at Katherine's or somewhere else, would you mind sending me a text, I was about to call Damon,_"

"Damon?" she asked confused.

"_Yes… I thought you could maybe be with him…_" he didn't say anything else, but she knew what he was implying. He had seen her and Damon kissing.

"No, he dropped me here after we left the Grill," she clarified.

"_Okay, well, it's good to know you're okay,_" his voice sounded lighter all of sudden.

"Did you already have lunch?"

"_Yes, love, it's almost two in the afternoon, you know me and my appetite,_" he smirked.

"What about dinner instead?" she offered.

"_It sounds good,_"

"So I'll see you later,"

"_See ya,_"

"And, Klaus?" she said quickly before he disconnected.

"_Yes?_"

"I'll send you a text when it happens again so you won't worry about me," her voice was soft while she played with the hem of her top.

"_Thank you,_" he answered honestly.

"Thanks for worrying about me," she offered.

"_Bye,_" he said before they disconnected the call.

"Is there something going on between you and Klaus?" Katherine asked appalled from her bed. She didn't hear what Klaus said, obviously, but she could say, solely based on Caroline's reactions, that they were much closer than she had first thought.

Caroline rolled her eyes, and started reading his texts.

"Sweetheart, do you want to have lunch together? I have to make up for my terrible behavior this week," Caroline read out loud the first text he sent a little bit after ten in the morning.

"Sweetheart, it's not like you not to answer your texts or your phone, please let me know you're okay," she read the second one. "Caroline, I'm seriously worried about you. Is everything okay? Please answer me," she read the one he had sent thirty minutes ago. "Sweetheart, I don't know what else to do. Stefan doesn't know where you are, Katherine's phone is off. I'm about to call Damon Salvatore. If you read this, please, call me," she concluded throwing her phone at Katherine, not to hit her friend, but for her to read with her own eyes.

"Does that sound like someone that could hurt me Katherine?" Caroline challenged.

"I'm sorry, it's just I care about you, okay? I've never had a friend before, and you're the first one I've ever really had. You're certainly the first person to ever really understand me, to ignore all of my shit, to give me time and space when I need, and to come sleep with me three nights a week when you see I'm finally ready to talk about my disgraceful love life," Katherine was teary-eyed by the end of her speech and Caroline forgot everything about Klaus just like that. They could talk about Klaus another time; she was there to help her friend with the Elijah situation.

"He still loves you too, you know?" Caroline said softly.

"But he loves his work more. His reputation more. He's more concerned about what people will say about him than he is about me. Even I deserve more than that," Katherine didn't even bother to fight against her tears.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself," Caroline reached for her best friend, holding her hand.

"I'm too selfish for people to stay. I hurt them, use them, humiliate them, manipulate them," Katherine sarcastically laughed through her tears.

"You've never done any of those things to me or to him. I may be your best friend, Katherine, but I'm not the only one. Stefan cares a lot about you and although Bonnie and Klaus are more distant, they care about you too," Caroline offered.

"Stefan is a broody man that lives in the world of his books' fantasies," Katherine rolled her eyes.

"But he cares about you. He asked me a lot of times how you were right after Elijah broke up with you. The only reason he didn't go straight to you with his concerns was because you practically bit his ass off every time he attempted to say something," insert affectionate eye roll from Caroline..

"How can he be Damon's brother?" Katherine asked with a smirk.

"Damon is a lot like you, Katherine. He only cares about a handful of people, and he covers his pain with his careless attitude and selfishness, but he's capable of feelings," the blond explained.

"I bet he didn't have a mother that knew about her husband abusing their daughter and still did nothing about it," the brunette spoke softly remembering her childhood for a fleeting moment. Would the memories always be there to haunt her?

"I don't know… Giuseppe also caused his share of pain to Damon and Stefan, but for their sakes I really hope it was nothing like what your father did," the blond said, knowing Katherine would hate it if she pitied her.

"I've avoided feelings my whole life, only to fall for a man just like my mother. They'll do everything they can to keep their social position. Keeping appearances is more important than the people they love. I'd die before going through that again," this time her words fell flat, the sarcasm vacant from her tone. The irony in her life wasn't something she found funny at all.

"Elijah would never lay a finger on you and he would understand you a lot better if you opened up to him," Caroline suggested, but she knew Katherine would never agree to it.

"I've actually been pretty close to talking to him a couple of times, but I'm thankful I didn't. I don't want to become his pity case, and I don't want to be even more vulnerable than I already am when it comes to him,"

"How about you follow one of the pieces of advice you gave me, huh? Swallow your pride and talk to him, I think he regrets his actions," Caroline advised.

"Did you talk to him about me as well?" Katherine turned to look at her best friend, and Caroline could see the brunette was already making assumptions and knew that all hell was about break loose.

"Of course not, I know you would have hated that,"

"Good for you,"

"But it doesn't mean I won't take matters into my own hands if you don't," Caroline promised vehemently, staring down Katherine who expected her to back down.

"You don't have any right, this is my life Caroline!" the brown-eyed girl yelled from the top of her lungs, standing up again.

"But I love you! And I care about you! I want you to be happy and I know Elijah makes you happy. You had something great and it's obvious he regrets it," Caroline explained, but Katherine didn't care.

"So let him and I solve our problems," the brunette protested.

"But I don't know who has the biggest pride. Elijah is humble about a lot of things, but it seems like he's just as proud as you when it comes to recognizing he's made a mistake. I've seen him apologize to a lot of people and he does it with ease when it's about work, but the same doesn't seem to apply to his personal life. He said he didn't know if he had forgiven Klaus and while I could see he was sad about it, I could also tell that it was also seemly a matter of pride. I've noticed it about him more than once, and it's the same with you. He wanted to ask me about you, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it," Caroline was frustrated with the two of them. Maybe now she understood Katherine's frustration about her and Mason better.

"So let us be!"

"I will, as long as you promise to gather up the courage and get rid of your stupid pride and talk to him yourself. You deserve to be happy, Kat. More than most people I know, you deserve it," Caroline reached for Katherine, holding both of the brunette's shoulders with her hands.

"I'll never understand it, Care. We had an amazing relationship, we rarely had arguments, and we just had so much in common. He even likes the same kind of music I do. We had amazing dinners together, and we would talk all night long after making love. It was nearly perfect. Until I threatened his perfect life with my mere presence," Katherine allowed her tears to fall again her voice coming out in a choked whisper towards the end of her spiel.

"And he's stupid for giving up on everything you had because of what people would say. He knows the directors wouldn't be happy, but he also knows they wouldn't punish either of you if you were open with them about your relationship and how it wouldn't interfere in his decisions as a chief of department," Caroline acknowledged the truth and it hurt Katherine even more because she knew her friend was right. He knew it all, but still he chose to give up what they had.

"I even thought he was going to propose when he invited me to move in with him. It all happened so fast but I was so sure. In six months we were already living together and we even started making some long term plans. He said he was going to take me to meet his family after we came back from Hawaii," Katherine looked up, trying to blink away the new batch of tears.

"You deserve better than he gave you, but we all make mistakes, Kat, and it's so clear he regrets his," Caroline moved her hands from Katherine's shoulders to her hands.

"I'm not ready to talk to him. I don't want to break down in front of him. I won't," Katherine said through clenched teeth.

"I just wanted you to know what I saw; maybe he'll make the first move," Caroline didn't press more. Katherine was already letting the emotional moment go and in no time she would be angry.

"He should after being such a jerk," Katherine retorted.

"And I totally agree with you, but sometimes we need to make the effort, to be the bigger person if we want to be happy," Caroline said softly.

"Is that what you're going to do about Mason?" the brunette changed the subject.

"I'm going to think about everything you said. You're right. I'm not sure if I can ever trust him again and I am afraid of getting hurt. I need to know if I'm going to ever get over it," Caroline answered honestly.

"Thank you, Care," Katherine said with a small smile on her face.

"You know you can count on me, Kat, I'll always be here for you," the two friends hugged, before deciding to sleep in just bit more after such an emotional conversation.

* * *

It was almost six when Caroline finally arrived back at her house. She had texted Klaus earlier saying she would be arriving later and that they would probably leave about seven or eight for dinner.

He had been taking a shower when she arrived, and opening the door without actually looking inside she let him know she had already arrived and would also be taking a shower before they'd go out.

They ended up at an Italian place just a couple of blocks away from her house, not bothering to take either of their cars. She had a thick coat over her clothes, but he wore only a Henley and a leather jacket. She knew it probably wasn't necessary cold to wear the thick coat, but she found herself inclined to feel particularly chilled that night.

Dinner had been pleasant, and she was happy and relieved to know they were okay again, though he had completely avoided the reason why he had kept his distance with her the past few days. Granted, she also ignored how he had resisted her attempts to help him, but she was convinced that like Katherine, he would accept her help eventually. She just needed to be patient and wait until he was ready for it. Caroline already knew how the brunette worked, and she had seen small signs of Katherine's façade cracking up in the past couple of weeks. That was how she knew Kat would break down soon. But with Klaus she had no idea. She was under the impression he didn't break down anymore.: at least not on a conscious level.

"Dinner was fun," she offered as they walked back to her house.

"The food was quite good," he answered, fighting his desire to move his hand from his pocket to drape gently over her shoulder.

"But this isn't a date, you should have let me cover half of the bill," she brought up playfully.

"I invited you, date or not, that's what a gentleman would do," Klaus sounded as adamant then as he had when they originally argued over the bill merely 5 minutes ago.

"Sometimes I forget you're English,"

He smirked and they completed the small distance in silence. Caroline was just locking the front door when he spoke again.

"I think I owe you an apology," his voice was soft, and sweet. She always thought he sounded like that, but it was much more intense now.

"I'm sorry if I sounded nosy, I just care about you," she apologized before he had a chance.

"I thought I was the one doing the apology thing," he smiled; the rare and beautiful dimpled one that she thought made him look so young.

"Sorry," she offered and they both laughed lightly.

"I'm a complicated person, but I guess I just got used to not depending on anyone. I find it difficult to let people in, I don't want to give them a chance to disappoint or hurt me. Growing up was difficult for me. My father and I had a lot of problems and, well, I learned how to be collected and closed to the world while I was still a kid. Also…" he stopped, somewhat embarrassed for what he was about to say, but she deserved his best, and he was going to do the best to make it up to her, "It's been a long while since someone honestly cared about me. I'm used to being on my own because as much as I don't allow anyone to be there for me, nobody has actually tried in many years, so I'm sorry if I hurt you. I'm not saying that I'll open up… but I just wanted to apologize for how I behaved and maybe make you understand a little bit why this is so hard for me," he completed, looking clearly uncomfortable, uneasy and out of place.

Caroline moved her hands to both sides of his face and for a moment he thought she was going to kiss him, but instead she offered one of her magical smiles, the one that could heal any wound. "Thank you for being considerate about my feelings, and for apologizing. I care about you and I won't hurt you, I promise. You're my friend, Klaus, you matter to me And if nobody realized how great you are in so many years, it's their loss, I'm sure," her voice was sweet and she had looked deep into his eyes as she said it, making his knees shake under him.

"Thank you, Caroline," he said, moving one of his hands to her cheek, stroking softly and before she had a chance to do it, he leaned down and kissed her other cheek. Then he offered a smile and walked away towards his bedroom.

Caroline stood in the middle of her living room with a big grin on her face. Her day had been complete and perfect. She had talked to two of her best friends, and had been there for them in a way that mattered. She was happy with herself, and happy for her friends. Nothing could ruin this day. At least that's what she thought as she brushed her teeth before going to bed.

Sleep eluded her as her morning and afternoon extra snooze time caught up with her. She felt wide awake, or at least awake enough to read instead of watching TV. She had yet to start any of the books she had bought a few months ago, and tonight seemed like the perfect time to do it. Besides, reading always made her sleepy after a few dozen of pages.

She was through a quarter of her book when she heard his voice. Her book dropped down to her lap as she listened closely. She knew that panicked angry voice. Next would come the crash of objects…Why, why did it have to happen tonight of all nights? The day had gone so well, even if it had been an emotional one.

She pondered for a moment about what she should do. He seemed to have some sort of pattern. First would be his screams and yelling. They would last minutes before he would finally wake up. That was when he started breaking everything around him. Which meant she only had a few moments to decide to go to his bedroom or not. Without hesitation she grabbed a book marker from her nightstand, put her book away and, embracing herself, she hurried towards his bedroom.

"Let her go," she could hear the words as she opened his door. It was so very dark, but the light from the halfway illuminated his bed enough for her to reach him. She didn't want to startle him to much with the light or her movements.

"Bekah!" he yelled, and it carried so much pain that she almost cried.

"Don't! Don't! Don't!" he pleaded in his nightmare just as she reached him. She was about to touch his arm to try and wake him up, when his eyes opened widely and before she knew anything she felt a searing pain in the back of her head and everything went black.

* * *

_AN: perfect TVD episode is perfect, especially when it's filled with Klaus 3333  
_

_I should have left a warning about this chapter in the previous one. It's very emotional and has a little bit more of Klaus' feud with his family is revealed. Now how do Tatia, Rebekah and Henrik (RIP) relate to one another and back to Klaus and the rest of his family? That's far from being revealed, but more pieces from the puzzle will come soon.  
_

_Oh, yeah, sorry about the cliffhanger, although I think it's very obvious what happened, isn't it? I guess the new chapter will come by Sunday, so you won't have to wait much. And yay for Klaus finally admitting to liking her!  
_

_To answer one of my anonymous reviewers: 1) since when Damon is attracted to Caroline?: Since he laid eyes on her? Damon is attracted to any breathing female in the species. 2) That's not like Caroline: Well in this story it actually is. She has no problem dealing with her body needs. If it's a make out session, she'll do it, if it's sex, she'll do it. But as she will say in a future chapter "I stopped sleeping with inappropriate man". 3) it wasn't just drunk making out, he was taking his time and actually kissing her like he wanted to be with her: Damon cares about Caroline, he won't treat her like the girls he pick in bars. He will treat her with a little respect because she's his friend. We'll visit that in the future.  
_

_Huge thanks to my reviewers! Keep it coming :D and also a special thanks to my beta, **Erin.** She rocks :)  
_

_btw, I just wrote the first M-rated moment to this fiction. So it's coming soon.  
_

_Next: some of Klaus' secrets is in the out, we get to know another hospital in New York, someone gets punched in the face, Klaroline sleep together. Oops, I think that's a bit too much ;)  
_

_Have a nice weekend, and don't forget to review ;)  
_

_xoxo  
_

_Bárbara  
_


	8. Chapter VII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter VII**

* * *

Klaus had been a little bit disoriented, as usual, when he woke up, not separating reality from the fantasy world. And in that moment of disorientation he unconsciously pushed Caroline away. The blond was kneeling by his bed, about to touch him, but he hadn't seen her. He had seen the faceless man that had been haunting his dreams as per usual, and involuntary he had used all his strength to push 'him' away. Caroline didn't have time to react. Her head cracked against the corner of his nightstand and left her immediately unconscious.

When he saw the blond strands flying in the air, still not completely aware of his surroundings, he thought it was Rebekah. For a couple of seconds he relived losing his sister all over again as he saw a bleeding and unconscious Caroline on his bedroom's floor. It didn't matter that their physical features weren't exactly alike; the blonde hair was enough of a connection to hinder his ability to separate the two.

"Bekah!" he yelled scrambling over to the limp body and bringing her head against his chest. He could feel the blood on his hands just as he had that fateful night.

It took him almost a minute, but finally he was able to recognize his surroundings. This time as he looked at the body he held to himself he realized just exactly what he had done.

"No, no, no. Not Caroline, no!" he whispered, tears falling from his face on to hers. He could feel his stomach drop."Sweetheart, wake up, please, don't die on me, don't die on me," he pleaded, still unable to form rational thoughts as to what to do. What was he supposed to do? It was like losing Henrik and Rebekah all over again. He rocked their bodies together for a while, until he finally realized that this wasn't his brother or sister. This was the present. He was a doctor, and Caroline _wasn't_ dead.

He immediately took her pulse and was relieved to confirm that there really was one, and it wasn't as weak as he had thought. But there was blood on the back of her head and she was unconscious. She could have a concussion or something worse. Klaus knew he needed to get her to the hospital, and quickly. He carefully laid her on his bed, while he quickly put some clothes on. Knowing he would have trouble opening his car's door while holding her, he took his car keys went and opened up the backseat door of his SUV.

He ran at an almost in inhuman speed, taking two stairs at time, but when he entered his bedroom again his heart stopped altogether. She wasn't in the bed anymore, but he had any idea of where she was. He walked around the bookshelf that divided his bedroom to find her standing in front of his unfinished painting.. "This is beautiful," Caroline said turning to him, while her fingers lingered on the painting.

"How are you? Is your vision blurred? Are you confused? Disorientated? Are you nauseated?" he asked, crossing the room to where she was, immediately holdingher face in his hands to check on her.

"You painted me," she offered instead of answering any of his questions.

"Caroline I need you to focus on me, now, okay? Tell me everything you're feeling," his hands cradled her head gently but his eyes were hard as he stared straight in her eyes.

"I'm… I am… are you okay? You were having another nightmare, I came to check on you. Are you okay?" she asked, and he didn't know if she was being stubborn, or if she was suffering from the hit still.

"I'm going to take you to the Presbyterian," he said moving his hands from her face, and reaching for her own hand instead.

"No, I don't want to go," she protested immediately.

"Caroline you know the risks, I don't remember what happened, but when I woke up you were unconscious and you're bleeding," he said, looking determined and tough.

"I'm fine, Klaus," she offered, sighing, grimacing when she ran her hand on her hair, touching her wound.

"But we need to know for sure, and you may even need stitches," he said moving to stand behind her to examine her gash. She would definitely need stitches.

"Klaus, I'm okay. I'm not going," she insisted.

"I'm not taking any risks, I can't have anyone else dying on me," he said, and before she knew one of his arms had moved under her legs and the other supported her back, and in a swift movement she was in his arms and being carried out of his bedroom.

"Klaus, please, it's nothing, I just hit my head in the corner of the nightstand," she said as she remembered being pushed quite violently by him and hitting the piece of furniture that was a few feet behind her.

"Let's see what the CT scan says it is or isn't," he insisted, his voice hard, as he continued to look forward.

"Take my documents, you'll need them," she sighed as he sat her in the passenger's seat, closing the backseat door he had opened earlier.

She agreed because she knew she really didn't have a choice, even if it was her body and her choice on how to treat it. But she knew he was right. She had just wanted to explore his bedroom a bit longer. All four rooms in the house were very big, but Klaus' was bigger because it didn't have a private bathroom. And while his bed was close to the door, there was a large shelf of books that blocked the rest of the rooms view. When Caroline had woken up, the first thing her eyes captured was the amazing paintings hanging on the undisclosed part of the room. She stood up, wanting to get a better look, but her attention was quickly captured by another unfinished painting in the middle of the room. She recognized herself immediately, even if her painted version was sleeping in the middle of a beautiful landscape. It was huge, and one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

He was back in less than a minute, throwing her purse in the backseat, before pulling his car out of the garage and out into the street.

"I don't want to go to the Presbyterian," she demanded suddenly.

"It's the best hospital in the city, we're going there," he stubbornly insisted.

"Klaus! Please, I just need a CT scan, take me anywhere but there, please," she pleaded, hoping he would change his mind.

"Why go somewhere else if we're closest to the best hospital?" he couldn't understand why she wanted to go elsewhere. They knew everyone at the Presbyterian. Mason, one of the best — if not the very best — neurosurgeons in the city worked there, and it was just her luck that he was on call tonight.

"I don't want anyone to know what happened," she said with a small voice, hoping he would agree to that. She could only imagine what Katherine and Bonnie would say if they found out Klaus had hurt her. They would never believe her that it wasn't on purpose, and if they did, they would still do everything in their power to separate the roommates. And if Caroline knew Klaus, even the tiniest bit, he would be the first to suggest it.

"So lie about it," he simply suggested. There was no way he wouldn't have the best to treat her, especially since it had been his fault.

"I don't want them to page Mason, and you know they will. They know they're screwed if Mason knows I was admitted with a head injury and he wasn't paged," she reasoned.

"Mason is on call tonight," he informed her.

"Take me to the Sinai. You know they're just as good," she suggested.

"Sinai is farther, and the Presbyterian is the best," he wasn't going to budge,and as the minutes continued to go by the closer they got to the Presbyterian.

"Klaus, stop the car," she demanded.

"Caroline, I'm…" he tried to answer, but he had yet to encounter his sweet Caroline mad.

"Stop this goddamn car!" she yelled, and with a heavy sigh he pulled the car over to a stop.

"We're doctors, I'm conscious. I may have a concussion or even a bleeding. Twenty minutes won't make a difference. I don't want to lie to anyone. They'll hardly believe I just lost my balance if the damage is bigger than we imagine. You can either drive me to the Sinai or home," she said, and he sighed, pulling the car on to the street again.

"I'm taking you to Langone. It's closer and they have a better neurosurgery department. I don't like the guy who replaced Mason at Sinai," he offered and drove them towards Manhattan.

* * *

They didn't say any another word during the drive. Klaus was tense, but Caroline was tired. Her head hurt a lot, and she was already experience a couple of symptoms that showed she indeed had a concussion, so she decided to just be quiet. She just hoped nothing serious had happened, not only for her own sake, but especially for Klaus'. She knew he would never forgive himself if something serious happened to her because of him.

"Wait her, I'm going to ask for a wheelchair," Klaus said as he parked his car in front of the Emergency Room entrance.

"Klaus, I can…" she tried to reason, but she was left talking to air as his door closed with a loud snap.

A nurse was quickly helping her to sit in the wheelchair, and while Klaus looked at her with tight lips and serious eyes, she rolled her own at him.

"We're surgery residents at the Presbyterian. She hit her head and was unconscious for a few minutes, as well as being a bit confused once she woke up. I suspect she has a concussion, but I'd like to take a quick CT scan to know for sure that's all. She also needs some stitches for the injury," Klaus said to the doctor – probably a resident – that was talking to them.

"Just do your work, and ignore him," Caroline offered the fellow doctor with a smile as he started asking the routine questions.

"You said you didn't have blurry vision!" Klaus protested when she answered that particular question.

"It didn't start until we were already in the car, and I've been feeling nauseated as well, something that also started in the car, Klaus," she turned to her roommate and then to the doctor attending her.

"I'll just go ahead and patch up the back of your head with a few stiches before I have an intern come and take you to have the scan, Ms. Forbes. But please excuse me for a moment while I go grab the supplies I need. "

"Thanks, Dr. Ross," she smiled, turning to Klaus who was sitting in a chair by her stretcher. He had his head buried in his hands.

"Hey," she said softly, moving her hand to touch his arm, and move his hand from his face.

"Why can't you leave me be, love?" he asked, turning to look at her, his eyes red and teary, "That's why I wanted you to keep your distance. I hurt you,"

"It wasn't your fault, you were sleeping," she said stroking her thumb on his cheek.

"What if there's something wrong with you? What if there's some kind of internal bleeding?" he asked, and he couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened if something happened to her. That would be the third person to die on him and as they said, the third time's the charm. He barely survived losing Rebekah and Henrik, both cases because of him. Rebekah had been worse because worse than having a dead person is having a dead person who still breathed.

"I'm fine, Klaus. It was a hard hit, but I'm fine, I'm going to be _fine_," she spoke smoothly still trying to comfort him with her touch and reassurance.

"You don't know that," he said, his emotions raw and all over the place.

"You couldn't have done much damage by pushing me away," she brought him closer to her, kissing his hair in the process. With that their conversation ended as the doctor returned and stitched Caroline up. Caroline winced only a few times, and made sure to hold on tight to Klaus' hands as the suture thread weaved in and out. Luckily, only a few stitches were needed and once more the doctor went off, this time going in search of an intern to complete his plan of care.

Before he could bring himself to restart their conversation a new doctor introduced herself, and moved Caroline back to the wheelchair and off to get her CT scan with Klaus following closely behind. He had his Presbyterian badge with him and the intern had been kind enough to allow him to stay with her in the CT's computer room while they scanned Caroline.

"Damn it," he said once the first images appeared on the computer's screen.

The first doctor soon joined them, and moving Caroline back to the PIT to rest, Dr. Ross spoke of what he saw.

"There's a small bleeding and minor swelling. I say we wait a few days before doing another CT to see if they're still there, or if they've had enough time to heal by themselves. The bleed seems very insignificant, and taking in the time factor, if it was worse we would be able to clearly tell." the male doctor said show her the images.

"You should rest tomorrow, and if you're on call, I'd recommend you call in sick. Pay attention to the symptoms, and if they get worse in the next forty-eight hours, come back in and we'll do another CT scan," he said handing her a sick note.

"I'm going to prescribe something for the ache you feel in your head, but you're going to have to stay the night for observation, Ms. Forbes," he concluded.

"We're both doctors, I don't need to stay the night. If something were to happen Klaus can bring me back. We don't live too far. I'll sign the term of responsibility," Caroline answered promptly. She didn't want to spend the night at the hospital. She hated hospitals when in the patient position. But then again, most doctors did.

"Caroline," Klaus protested, but she had had enough of his mother hen behavior.

"Klaus, it's fine. This is what I'm specializing in, remember? There's nothing that's going to happen in a concussion that would actually justify my staying here. Besides, we all know this is just procedure because _normal_ patients may not know about the symptoms, but we do, so Dr. Ross, if you could please get my discharge papers and the prescription, I'd appreciate it," Caroline said, and the doctor nodded, leaving to get her release papers and the term of responsibility.

Klaus didn't say another word, and in half an hour they were leaving the hospital towards her house.

* * *

It was nearly two in the morning when they arrived and although he didn't say anything, he hopped from his seat to quickly run around his car. He swiftly took her in his arms and headed inside the house. She didn't protest because she had a very special request to ask once they reached the top of stairs. So if he wanted to carry her she would allow it.

"Klaus…I don't want to be alone tonight. It would really mean a lot to me if you were around to help me, just in case something feels off," she asked as he went upstairs.

"Of course, love," he answered.

"And I'd rather it be in your room," she continued, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, Klaus," she pleaded, and he couldn't say 'no' to her after what he had made her go through.

He sighed, but continued walking until they entered his bedroom. He moved her to his bed, making sure to keep her on the side closest to the door, away from the back of the room.

"Thank you," she said, grimacing a little when her head touched the pillow. The stitches might have closed the wound, but it was still extremely sore.

"I'm going to get you some water," he said, turning around and leaving the bedroom.

When he came back she wasn't in the bed, and sighing, he walked around the shelf of books dividing his room in two.

"Here, the medicine will help with the pain," he offered her the pill and the glass of water.

"Thanks," she answered looking around her. There were at least six paintings hanging on the walls and even more of them were leaning against one another on the floor.

"Why are you even a doctor? This is amazing," she said looking around at the many landscapes and portraits.

"Thank you," he answered not knowing what else to say.

"You're seriously talented, Klaus," she offered, turning to look at him again. "And I knew you didn't paint the girls you sleep with," she offered with a small smile."And you painted me," she said walking towards the unfinished painting over on the tripod.

"I know I should have asked before doing it, but that night when we watched The Avengers, you felt asleep and I didn't want to wake you up. And you looked so peaceful. I drew a picture of you and later I decided to paint it in a landscape," he justified, feeling like he had to.

"It's the most beautiful think I've ever seen," her eyes were shining in a way he had never seen before. He didn't show his work to anyone. He had been drawing since he was a child and while he still lived with his family his siblings checked his work sometimes, but it was his mother, Esther, who always made sure to see it. She encouraged him to keep drawing and when Rebekah was older she also used to love her brother's work. Nobody in addition to his family saw his work, except for those he sold too, but there was a difference between a painting he kept and the ones he showed. He kept the personal ones and that been many of them, and sold what he wasn't attached to. When he was really short of money he would pain a batch of paintings and send to a friend who had an art gallery who he had met at college while he was taking his major in arts.

"I haven't been able to capture you properly yet, it seems," he said moving to her side, both looking at the big canvas in front of them.

"Are you kidding me? I've never looked so beautiful before," she said tracing the contours of her face in the painting.

"It misses something, it misses the essence of you, and that I can't capture, no one can I suppose," he added, avoiding looking at her when he felt her eyes moving from the painting to him.

"What are you going to do with it?" she asked.

"I don't know, I haven't finish it yet," he said, not ready to confess he was going to keep it. He would never sell a painting that was so personal to him like this one.

"What do you do with all your paintings? I'm sure those aren't the only ones you've ever done," she said pointing to the many others on the floor and on the walls.

"I keep some and sell the others," he answered quietly.

"Are you going to sell this one?" she turned to face her sleeping self again.

"No, probably not," he answered truthfully, now that she had directly asked. He would never lie to her.

"Would you paint another one for me?" she asked, turning her body to face his.

"You can have this one, love," he said, offering her a smile.

"Are you sure? It's so beautiful, it could probably help you make some money," she said, feeling bad about it. She knew he was short on money and he would no doubt benefit from selling more of his paintings. And hers was the biggest in the room and it would possibly be the most expensive.

"I'd rather you to have it," he insisted, although he would miss having it. But for as long as they were under the same roof he could at least see it from time to time.

"What if I buy it?" she suggested.

"I would never have it," he answered promptly.

"It's only fair," she insisted, while both of them had their eyes locked on the painting.

"It's only fair that it belongs to you after all, I painted it without your consent," he offered, and she knew no matter how much she insisted that was his final decision.

"How did you know I loved horses?" she said looking at the house that could be seen a few yards behind her in the painting.

"I didn't," he smiled shortly. It had been a lucky coincidence.

"So why did you include it?"

"Because I love them," he simply answered, and she looked at him again, to see his eyes glued on the white horse.

"Thank you," she said, and he looked briefly at her, with a smile, before turning back to the painting.

"I'm going to rest a little bit, the medicine has finally kicked in. I can barely stand, my body is so relaxed," she offered, and he followed her towards the bed, his hand on the small of her back.

"I told you we were going to sleep together," she giggled, as they took their position in the bed, this time, she took the one from where she could see most of the back of the room, while he took his usual spot closest to the door. There wasn't any contact between their bodies and while Caroline laid on her side, facing him, her face resting on her hands, he was laying on his back, just like when she had found him a couple of hours ago.

"I'm sorry. I would never hurt you. I don't even remember what happened. I was having a nightmare, then the next thing I knew I was holding you against my chest. I guess for a moment I thought you were someone else, you were part of the nightmare," he said, his eyes glossy with tears. The events that had happened had been hurting him more than he was letting on, but on the inside he felt like he was dying. He had hurt her, and while the swelling would probably take care of itself; he wasn't so sure about the bleeding.

"I just wanted to help," she spoke softly, fighting her desire to touch his forearm. She could clearly see his muscular body as he lay across from her in a thin wife beater and sweatpants.

"I wish there was something to help me, love, but nothing can take away the pain," he admitted, thinking of the main reason why she was now hurt.

"I know," she simply agreed.

She had a suspicion that whoever this Bekah was, she was related to him. Maybe a sibling even, as she remembered Elijah's reaction when she made her comment about feeling like Klaus's sister. But could they really have lost two siblings? She knew about Henrik, but what about Bekah?

* * *

The next morning Klaus was the first to wake up and he was surprised to find that somehow Caroline ended up curling herself against him. Her head rested on his chest, while one of her legs was tangled between his own.

His hand moved to the back of her head, to check on her wound. The intern didn't do a terrible job with the stitches, but he would have preferred if it was him to do it.

It wasn't bleeding, and, as he touched her, she moved in her sleep snuggling her face into his chest.

"Morning," she offered her eyes still closed, as she rested on his chest.

"Morning, drooler," he smirked, and she immediately moved from his chest. But the sudden movement led to a grimace. Her hand moved to the back of head to gingerly inspect the wound. Her head felt like it was going to kill her.

"I was only kidding. Is everything okay, sweetheart?" noting her painful expression.

"My head is going to explode," she offered casually, though her discomfort bled into her words.

"I'm going to get some water for you," he said, standing up and leaving the bedroom.

When he came back, he found her lying on the bed, on her stomach, her eyes closed and her limps sprawled on his bed.

"Are you awake, love?" he whispered, hoping not to awake her if she had fallen asleep again.

"Yes, but I don't want to be," she mumbled.

"The medicine will probably make you sleepy," he offered, taking a seat on her side of the bed.

"As long as it takes the pain away, I'm happy," she offered, sitting on the bed, and taking the pill and the water.

"Feeling anything abnormal or different?"

She shook her head, while swallowing the rest of her water.

"I'm hungry though," she said handing him the glass.

"I'll make us some breakfast," he said, walking away.

"What's the time?" she said moving to his side of the bed. She had never realized how great he smelled only then taking in his scent from his pillow. It was intoxicating.

"Ten past noon," he answered from the hallway.

"Going to drool all over my pillow as well, sweetheart?" he asked entering the room almost thirty minutes later.

"I don't drool," she protested, not moving from her position.

"You don't," he smiled, offering her bacon and eggs. He had filled a large plate for the both of them, bringing two forks.

"It smells amazing," she closed her eyes, but instead of taking some of the food, she just hugged his pillow.

"It's delicious as well, why don't you take a bite?" he offered, eating some of his eggs.

"I meant the pillow," she said, only realizing it after the words left her mouth.

"You can keep it if you want," he smirked, going in for the bacon.

"I like mine better," she said.

"I'm going to eat your part if you don't, love," he smirked, seeing as she finally moved, sitting against his headboard.

"Where's the sweet?" she asked eyeing the food.

"We're out of pancake mix, and orange juice and I know you don't like espresso," he explained.

"No wonder, Sherlock, someone was supposed to go to the grocery store yesterday," she rolled her eyes. What was it with him and his annoying reluctance to do the grocery shopping?

"My team was playing for EPL and it was actually on TV," he answered.

"Didn't know Chelsea's matches were longer than two hours, like any other soccer match," she challenged, seeing him about to open his mouth, "Football, I mean football," she corrected herself before he had a chance. She had reluctantly agreed with him as he pointed out that English's football was actually played with feet, while American's was played with the hands with the exception of the kicker.

"And how have you figured out my team?" he asked surprised that she knew. He had tried to make her watch some _football_ with him, but she always refused, saying she didn't understand the rules and wasn't interested.

"You have the shorts, I've seen them in the laundry room," she explained while taking her fork and taking a bite from his food."That's delicious," she added after tasting the eggs.

"I made them together. Don't ever try it, you'll only mess it up," he smirked before eating more, his side of the plate almost empty.

"Why should I learn if you can do it?" she winked.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he asked once he finished his food.

"You do realize you've already asked the same question three times since I woke up less than an hour ago?"

"You normally only wake up after eating, just double-checking,"

"Triple-checking you mean?"

"Somehow you didn't answer it yet,"

"I'm okay, the medicine is already kicking in. Thanks for the food, but I'm going to actually take a shower now," she stood up, taking his pillow with her.

"I thought you preferred yours?" he asked as she walked away.

"Nah, I was going to steal yours either way," she replied, entering her own room.

* * *

It was Monday morning and Caroline and Klaus headed to work in his car. He wasn't going to let her drive until they were sure her head was fully recovered. They had their share of patients crashing their cars because they had seizures or passed out while driving. She thought it was cute how overprotective he had been. They had slept together again that night, although this time he had been the one to ask. She said she preferred her bed over his, as well as her pillow, but she thought his bedroom had a better view and exchanging their pillow cases, they slept in his bedroom again. The second night she didn't even try to sleep on her side of the bed. As soon as they lay down, she was already curling against him. _Do I need to repeat myself? I said we were going to sleep together at some point_, she said back then.

"Do you want me to take you to the CT scan?" he asked as he drove them.

"I just don't want people at Presbyterian to know about it," she answered.

"We should do it at the end of the shift," he suggested and she nodded. He thought it was less risky if they arrived an hour earlier than usual and did it before most of the hospital staff arrived to work, but Caroline was feeling more sleepy than usual because of the medicine, and he didn't want to deprive her from her sleep.

"Okay. And by the way, thanks for taking care of me Klaus," she answered when he parked the car, moving to kiss his cheek before offering him one of her magical smiles.

"My pleasure, love, though I wish you weren't hurt in the first place," he answered with a small smile of his own. Not the one she liked the best, but still a beautiful smile.

"Let's go then," she offered as they hopped out of the car and headed towards the building.

* * *

It was just her luck that today she would have to work with Mason. And the neurosurgeon seemed to be in a bad mood, which wasn't a common occurrence.

He had been harsh to her interns a couple of times, and far from his usual sweet reserved self, especially for her. With all that had happened over the weekend between her conversations with both Klaus and Katherine, the accident between her and her roommate, the last thing in her mind was kissing Damon on Friday night, though she should have guessed that some news about her weekend had gotten out. But, according to Bonnie, the nurses and some of the interns weren't talking about anything else but the Friday night kiss during the morning routines.

It finally made sense. Of course Mason probably overheard about the kiss. And why would he be happy about it? Although he didn't mention anything, maybe he was frustrated about something else? A girl could only hope.

She had given some thought about the consequences of her lip lock with Damon while she stayed at Katherine's. But then the brunette's words kept replaying in her mind. She had to be honest with herself and figure out if she would ever trust Mason again or not. Katherine had been right, she had been deluding herself, but maybe not in the way her best friend thought. She kept dreaming of a life with Mason, of getting back together and resuming the amazing relationship they had before Rose showed up at the hospital. But what were the chances of them ever getting back to where they were? Could things ever be the same?

As much as she believed his version of the facts, that he had considered his marriage with Rose over the day he moved out, he still should have mentioned being legally married to someone else. And then he chose to try to fix his marriage when he had been saying just a week before that he loved her. Forgiving was easy, forgetting — not so much. And Kat had been right about one more thing: if she thought her relationship with the neurosurgeon was doomed, she should start thinking about moving on instead of dreaming of getting back together with him.

Caroline didn't have the answer to those questions yet, but one thing she knew for sure: who she kissed, made out or slept with wasn't Mason's business. Not after he went back to Rose and did all of that with her. It didn't matter that they were married, the fact was he tried to move on; she had the same right if she wanted to.

Unfortunately for Caroline his mood didn't improve after lunch, actually, it got worse. Caroline heard a whisper about Mason confronting Damon, and she had actually wanted to check on the neurosurgeon to see if everything was okay. But this version of her ex-boyfriend made her day, and her interns', hell.

The day was finally over and she was ready to go home. She had long forgotten about the CT Klaus was supposed to take her too, so she changed into her street clothes and waited until he finished a surgery with his brother. She wondered how _his_ day had been. She knew he hated when he had to work with Elijah and as Serena had been appointed the new chief of residency earlier in the morning – despite people saying it was only because she was Mason's little sister and completely forgetting that she had been occupying the position at Sinai for the past three years – Klaus' days of slipping his way out of his brother's surgeries were counted and ended.

"What are you doing in your street clothes?" Klaus asked when he entered the residents' locker room a little bit over six.

"Waiting to go home," she stated, frowning at his question, but before he could protest, she remembered their plans.

"Crap, I forgot about the CT," she said tiredly, "My day has literally been hell. Apparently Mason thinks he still has a say on who I sleep with." she rolled her eyes just when the neurosurgeon entered the room.

"Did you actually sleep with him? That son-of-a-bitch! That good for nothing liar!" Mason left the room as quick as he arrived.

"I don't think Dr. Salvatore will leave this hospital without a black eye, it seems like he barely avoided it at lunch time," Klaus smirked, supporting Mason's decisions for the first time ever. He was under the impression Damon had taken Caroline to Katherine's straight from the bar, not giving them a chance to have actually slept together. It seemed he was wrong.

"Shit," she answered, before following Mason.

* * *

"You told me you didn't actually sleep with her," Mason said entering Damon's office without knocking.

"Again, Mase? I thought we went over this already?" Damon sighed, watching a raging Mason walk towards him.

"Don't call me that!" the surgeon answered angrily, taking Damon by his collar and making him stand up.

"You can have every fucking woman in this hospital, why do you have to go after what's mine?" Mason demanded, throwing Damon back on his chair.

"Are we talking about Rose or Caroline here, because it's confusing to keep up with your status these days," Damon quipped, and this time Mason didn't stop himself, punching the plastic surgeon right on the face.

"Have you been sleeping with my wife as well?" the brunette's face was red, his eyes dark with anger.

"I thought you had divorced," Damon said moving his hand to where it had been hit.

"What kind of friend sleeps with their best friend's wife?" Mason asked infuriated.

"Mase, you're missing the key word here, ex-wife," Damon said through clenched teeth. He was about to retaliate, but still found some thread of self-control to stop himself.

"Don't think about getting near what is mine again, Damon, otherwise I'm going to mess up your face in a way that not even you would be able to fix," Mason threatened, turning on his heels to leave, only to be faced with a furious Caroline.

"I didn't know I was someone's possession, let alone yours," the resident said from the doorway, having heard enough of their conversation.

"Caroline, now is not a good time for us to talk," Mason closed his eyes, trying to contain his fury. Damon was about to stand up and beat the life of Mason, not only for punching him, but for talking about Caroline as if she was an object.

"What the hell did you do?" she said, only noticing the already noticeable injury on Damon's face. She had reached his office after the punch, having no idea it had happened until now. The blue-eyed girl walked by her ex-boyfriend, reaching Damon to see the damage the neurosurgeon had done.

"He deserved it," Mason answered, giving Damon a pointed look, who looked just as mad back at him.

"I don't owe you any explanation about my life, Mason. Damon is my friend and if we ever decided to be something more or just fool around, then it's on us. You hid a wife from me, and then you _chose her over me_. You have no right to call me yours. The only way I'm yours is as a student, and as a resident. God, how dare you! Ugh!" she angrily answered, her face also turning red.

"Mase, get out of here now and I won't take this to Ric," Damon said from his chair.

"We're over, Salvatore, over, you lying son-of-a-bitch,"

"Mason, for once and for all, Caroline and I didn't sleep together!" Damon yelled, attracting even more attention to the room than it already had.

"Mase," Serena said from the door, "Let's go, Mase, you only do things you regret when you're mad. Let's go, tomorrow with a cooler head you talk to Damon and Caroline," his sister said, moving her arms around his body.

He agreed to go with her and as she walked them out of the office she turned to the two doctors behind them, "Sorry," she mouthed and with that she and Mason walked away.

"I'm sorry," Caroline said quietly.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have tried anything with you, he's right," Damon admitted, sighing while his right cheek felt numb.

"No he isn't. He had no right, Damon, I'm not his to claim,"

"But I'm his best friend, and he's in love with you. I shouldn't break that sort of bro-code," he ran a hand through his hair.

"I have never seen him like that," she answered, being slightly scared by what she had seen, even though she hadn't even seen Mason hitting Damon.

"Mason is the coolest guy in the world, unless someone wrongs him. He just loses it," the attending doctor explained.

"Nothing justifies violence,"

"And no attraction justifies betraying a friend like that. The only reason why we haven't slept together was because you stopped me. I would have slept with you that night without even considering his feelings. I don't care if the women I sleep with are married or in a relationship. But he's my friend, Caroline. That's too low even for me," the plastic surgeon admitted, feeling really bad about his actions. He didn't approve most of Mason's actions towards both Rose and Caroline, but he still loved him as a brother.

"Is it true what he said? Did you sleep with Rose?"

"Yes, many times actually, although all of them were either before they started dating or after their divorced was finalized. She had never cheated on him with me or anyone else," Damon admitted, and Caroline didn't know what to say. That was a pretty low move in itself."I need to grow up," he sighed breaking their silence.

"All you need is to fall in love with someone, Damon," she offered playfully, although she meant it.

"Maybe," he answered.

"Care?" Klaus called from the doorway.

"Right. I have to go, I really am sorry about everything. I should also think twice before making out with my ex's best friend. I'm just as guilty of it as you. I may have been the one to say no to sex, but making out wasn't the nicest thing to do," she said hugging him. Klaus who was still waiting for her was relieved to know they hadn't in fact slept together.

"I'm sorry too," Damon offered, kissing her forehead, and stroking her cheek softly. "Don't be too harsh or mad on him. He's been hurting a lot since losing you," he offered, defending his best friend. It was the least he could do.

"I'm not mad, I'm just hurt, and not just by what he just did," her voice so low, he could barely make out the words. She offered a weak smile and walked away.

"He loves you," Damon offered, and she stopped on her heels.

"I love him too, but I don't know if I can ever trust him again," she turned to him, a tear actually falling from her eye, before she finally left.

* * *

_AN: new chapter. More about Klaus' past, although I'm sure things are still unclear. Did Rebekah actually die die, or is in coma or something? Answers will come later. I love this chapter because of their interaction._

_In the prologue one of my reviewers said if this had anything to do with Grey's Anatomy it would be filled of massive disasters that killed a lot of people. Well, that's next. Plenty of Klaroline and KatCare through it though.  
_

_Huge thanks to my beta,_ **Erin. **_Also want to thank my reviewers. I lost some of you, I miss you, be nice to me and let me a couple of words :)_

_Have a nice week,  
_

_xoxo  
_


	9. Chapter VIII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter VIII**

* * *

The following day Mason had tried to approach Caroline before all hell broke loose, but she had successfully avoided or dismissed him every single time.

The gossip turmoil was at full throttle. Everyone was whispering in the hallways about Damon, Mason and Caroline. Some didn't believe the plastic surgeon hadn't slept with the resident. Some were speculating that the hospital wouldn't be able to keep both attending doctors. While the rest said Mason and Caroline had wild sex in one of the on-call rooms right after the fight — as they were both seen leaving the hospital an hour after the fight. Nobody knew that Mason had actually been with Serena while she calmed him down so that he could drive home safely, and Caroline and Klaus had been getting her CT done without anyone noticing.

The swelling and bleeding were shrinking naturally, and hopefully it wouldn't cause her any further problems. She was thankful for that. She and Klaus were finally in a good place, growing closer each day, and she didn't want any of that progress to be lost because of what happened. They had shared a bed for the third night in a row, again in his bedroom, and she wondered if she was ever going to be able to go back to sleeping alone after he was positive she was completely healed.

His presence comforted her in a way that she couldn't describe, especially after the fight between Mason and Damon. She had been feeling guilty about causing a strain between the two old friends. As much as Mason didn't have any right to feel bad about her moving on, or sleeping with somebody else, he did have a right to feel betrayed by Damon's actions. But somehow she felt like she deserved the same blame and guilt. What kind of woman did what she had done? It was almost like sleeping with brothers. She felt ashamed of herself and when Klaus shared that painting and drawing helped him to calm down, she had asked him to paint for her. Not being able to say 'no' to her these says, he simply agreed, finishing the small part of her painting he still had to do.

Then, when he was finished, he took a quick shower and laid with her, this time stroking her hair, as he found her crying silently upon his entrance. He didn't say anything, and he didn't need too. His presence, his touch, even his smell, had all been enough for her to quickly find the sleep she thought she wouldn't have that night.

* * *

"I don't want you to be on call tonight," she pouted as they walked towards the hospital.

"I'll try to change with someone, sweetheart," he offered, knowing she needed him these days, not only because of her injury, but mainly to have someone with her.

"I could sleep with Katherine, I don't think she's on call," she offered, feeling slightly guilty. She didn't have a right to make him change his schedule.

"It's up to you, I'm sure Katherine herself wouldn't mind changing. I heard the chief of heart surgery was going to be on call tonight." Klaus said. He always checked who the attending doctor on call at the hospital was. As the chief of the department, Elijah rarely had to stay for the night shift—maybe once or twice, but only because he wanted to work. Damon never stayed, always choosing to be on standby during his nights, leaving the rest of the doctors in his department to handle the night shifts. But Elijah wasn't one to use the perks of his position to run away from his responsibilities. He was thankful enough to not have to be at the hospital more than once a week, like he used to.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind either," she chuckled.

"As long as I'm not working with him, it's okay Luckily this hospital is big enough for us not to meet one another," Klaus shrugged, and Caroline felt her heart drop. There was nothing more she would like to do than fix their relationship. Although, it was ironic, especially considering that she wanted to fix their relationship so much but was unwilling to attempt one with Elena. In fact, she avoided Elena like some kind of plague.

The intern had tried to approach Caroline numerous times, but the second-year resident shut her out every time. She didn't have the heart to say to Elena's face that she wanted nothing to do with her. The brunette seemed like a sweet girl, she was even among the best of her group of interns. She was low-profile, kept herself out of the gossip machine, and always tried to do her best. She seemed like a hard worker who focused only on her craft. Well, except for the times she was focused on getting to know Caroline.

"I'll let you know by lunch time, okay?" she said as they stepped through the revolving door.

* * *

That day Serena had put Klaus with Isobel and Caroline with the orthopedic attending, Dr. Shultz. But when a massive accident in the subway happened, almost all residents and interns found themselves being reassigned to whatever attending doctor needed them. The accident had happened at eight, a heavy rush hour time and there were hundreds and hundreds of patients being sent to New York's biggest hospitals. But one particular patient, sent to Presbyterian by fate, would hit Caroline like a train.

"Forbes," Isobel called, and both the brunette and the blond residents looked up, answering the general surgeon.

"The intern, you're going to scrub in with Dr. Saltzman, my husband, not me, he's on OR fourteen" she informed the younger doctor.

"On my way," she said, asking a fellow intern to finish her stitches for her.

"Caroline," Isobel said approaching the blond, who was helping to evaluate the patients and see which ones were surgical cases and which weren't.

"You're with me, I have a guy that is in really bad shape that needs to be operated on now. He has several broken bones and major internal bleeding," Isobel said as she looked at the MRI images from their patient.

"Okay, which OR?" she asked, while she finished evaluating the small woman she was examining with her hands.

"Seven, they're already preparing him. Try to be there in ten," Isobel said, before talking to Serena, who had been assigning most cases.

Caroline finished the physical exam she was doing, happy to inform the injured woman that she wouldn't need surgery, despite having a few broken bones. The blond left the crowded pit, thankful for leaving the cruel scenario behind her. She had never seen so many people coming in at once, especially so many in such bad conditions. It was pure pandemonium.

* * *

She actually made it to the OR before Isobel, who was still updating Serena and talking about their contingency plans. The patients wouldn't stop arriving and they needed to know how much more the hospital could actually admit.

Caroline was finishing scrubbing in when Isobel entered the room outside the OR, quickly scrubbing her hands.

"Go ahead, see if he's ready," Isobel said and Caroline entered the OR.

The man on the stretcher was severely injured and Caroline noticed the many dark bruises all over his body, but the most prominent ones being on his mid-section.

There were similar images hanging on the wall behind him, showing the extent of his injuries. Caroline could count at least twelve broken ribs, along with his hip bone, and it seemed like he had a lacerated liver, and a punctured lung in addition to at least two major bleedings, and a couple of smaller ones.

"It's pretty messed up," Caroline said once Isobel joined her, analyzing the pictures and deciding what to do first— stop the bleeding near his punctured lung or the one in his intestine.

She made an action plan in a couple of seconds and instructed Caroline on what she should be doing, along with the fifth year resident that was also helping the general surgeon.

They began swiftly opening up the man and worked quickly on stopping the bleeding in his intestine. Successful, Isobel and Caroline began working on the slightly bigger bleed. Samantha, the other resident, was trying to stop the smaller bleedings near to the ones the other two doctors were working on.

"At least he didn't have any major injury to his head," Caroline offered as she suctioned up excess blood from a spot observed by Isobel.

"He was probably smashed between seats, which would explain the extensive chest injury. Just one of the many passengers," Isobel said. The hospital was treating multiple patients, those who were inside the train, and even the ones outside on the platform who had been injured by debris. It was chaos, but the most upsetting fact was not how many were injured, but the amount that had died.

A knock at the OR door sounded, but so absorbed in their work, that none of the doctors gave attention to it. Instead a nurse went to attend to the visitor.

"They were able to identify him," the scrub nurse said before reading the information on the paper sheet she received, "Grayson Robert Forbes, age 47," the nurse informed them, as she watched the color drain from both Caroline's and Isobel's faces.

The two doctors immediately looked at the face of the man. There were some dark bruises on his face as well, but it was definitely him. It was Caroline's father.

"Page Dr. Van der Woodsen, tell her to send a resident for me, second or third year is enough," Isobel ordered, but Caroline protested immediately.

"I can do it, Isobel," she offered with a brave face.

"It's your father, Caroline, you can't operate on him," Isobel retorted.

"I wouldn't say someone I haven't seen for twenty-four years is my father," the blond offered, but Isobel couldn't agree.

"Do as I said!" she yelled at the nurse that was still looking between the doctors waiting on definite instructions for what to do.

"You know the rules, Caroline, there's nothing I can do. Please, just keep suctioning the blood for me until Serena sends someone else," Isobel instructed and the blond obeyed quietly. She knew there was nothing more she could do about it. Not even five minutes later Bonnie entered the OR.

"I lost my patient, Dr. Van der Woodsen said you needed someone here," Bonnie informed Isobel.

"Yes, you're going to replace Dr. Forbes. Dr. Forbes, I need you to go to OR fourteen and talk to Dr. Elena Forbes and inform her about her father's condition," Isobel said, knowing it was almost cruel to ask Caroline to do it herself, but they were short on staff at the moment and just a few minutes to recover.

"She probably won't be able to continue operating after she finds out, Dr. Saltzman," Caroline reasoned, and Isobel sighed for a moment, thinking about what she should do. She knew Caroline was right and she wasn't certain if the blond standing in front of her would be able to scrub in another surgery today either. They couldn't afford to lose two residents at the moment, but how fair was it to Elena to have her father fighting for his life without her knowing?

"It's her father, Dr. Forbes, she has a right to know and she will probably want to inform her mother and siblings. If you prefer to talk to the attending she is with, instead of talking straight to her, I don't care, I just want her to be informed," Isobel decided, signaling for Bonnie to take the suction tube from Caroline's hand and take her place.

"After you talk to her, I want you to take a ten minutes break. And pay attention to me, Caroline. If, and only if, you feel like you're okay to operate, you're going to present yourself to Dr. Van der Woodsen for a new assignment. We're operating on the critical cases first. Their chances are already small; they don't need a distracted doctor operating on them. Remember your oath. Now go," the brunette instructed and Caroline only nodded, before leaving the OR.

Caroline scrubbed out, trying to think over everything that happened in the past ten minutes. She had been operating on her father for over an hour without knowing it was him. His condition was critical and it was more than likely he would die on the operating table.

And to top it all off now she had to inform _his_ daughter that _her_ father was among the injured patients. Not only that, but she had to inform her half-sister that she was probably going to lose her father in the next few hours.

She went to OR fourteen, just a few doors to her right, but she couldn't pull the door open. She felt rooted in front of the OR, her scrubs stained with her father's blood. She couldn't do it, she just couldn't. She ran down the hallway, going straight to one of the nearby on call rooms. She couldn't breathe. She tried, but the air felt like it wasn't reaching her lungs. She felt like she was going to have a heart attack or more than likely pass out. The man lying on the stretcher wasn't familiar to her, he wasn't anything but a stranger, but he was still her father. Even if she barely had any memories of the man. Even if he hadn't bothered to call her in the past twenty-four years.

Suddenly the door opened, and Caroline barely had the strength to look up to see her best friend walking in.

The moment Serena explained to Bonnie what she was up, the hazel-eyed resident paged Katherine. The brunette was in surgery, as almost all doctors were, but still she told her to talk to Serena. Katherine's surgery was almost finished, and she was going to have a twenty minute break before scrubbing in the next. Elijah and she had been working on a woman for the past three hours, and he had told her to tell Serena they would be available in twenty, if there was another cardiac case waiting. Both doctors were sure there would be a lot. If it wasn't a bad head injury there were most certainly torso injuries. Primarily in patients' thorax and midsection.

When Katherine approached Serena by the board, she informed her of everything Elijah said and asked what the blonde wanted with her. Serena didn't know what she was talking about and when Katherine mentioned Bonnie's pager, the blond figured out what it was about. Katherine was on a break and she knew Caroline would be in no condition to operate on someone, so she informed her of the situation with Grayson Forbes.

Katherine went straight to OR seven, only to find Bonnie inside instead of Caroline. She called the nurse's station where Serena was and the plastic surgery resident assured her Caroline hadn't showed up for another assignment. Katherine knew then that Caroline had broken down. She checked three on call rooms before finally finding her best friend, looking catatonic sitting in one of the beds in the room.

"The first time I see my father in a quarter of century is on an operation table, fighting for his life and likely to lose it. I didn't even recognize him. I didn't even recognized him until a nurse said his name. Then I have to go to _his daughter_, _my half-sister_, to inform her that _her_ father is severely injured. What is wrong with my life?" Caroline asked.

Her breathing was calmer the moment Katherine entered the room. But she still felt numb, in a trance, and her only reaction was to talk, but Katherine wasn't even sure if Caroline was completely aware of what she was saying. Her best friend seemed totally out of it.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Katherine suggested as she sat by Caroline's side. She wasn't ready to face that. She was expecting to find Caroline hyperventilating, but not so passive, or empty. Staring straight at the wall before them.

"No, I'll do it, I just can't seem to move," Caroline still looked ahead of her, not acknowledging the woman sitting by her.

"How is he?" the brunette asked softly, trying to find a way to be there for Caroline, but she didn't know how. She moved her hand, thinking maybe a reassuring touch would help, but she stopped herself mid-air. She had never been good with that kind of comforting, and it would come off strange to Caroline, who knew her so well.

"Dying," Caroline simply answered.

"How are you?"

"Preparing myself to bury my absent father. You know, there wasn't one day in twenty-four years that I didn't expect him to show up, or call, or write. Even now, he crosses my mind at least a handful of times during the day. I've played out so many scenarios in my head about us meeting again, but I never would have thought it to be under these circumstances," Caroline laughed dryly, and Katherine was growing more and more concerned. That wasn't her best friend at all.

"I guess you were right, I really am delusional," Caroline concluded a few moments later.

"I never meant it like that, Care," guilt consumed the brunette instantly at Caroline's words.

"_I _meant it, Katherine. He hasn't tried to talk to me once in twenty-four years, when was I ever going to take a hint?" the tears that were yet to fall finally made their way down Caroline's pale cheeks, "Why should I expect him to knock on my door someday, crying and saying that leaving me behind had been the biggest mistake of his life? Or maybe come to the hospital and say how proud of me he then again, he has his real daughter to be proud of doesn't he? I don't know why I had expected him to come to me when the truth is he already has a perfect family with his new wife and their kids. I don't even know how many siblings I have. It could be only Elena or ten of them for all I know. Either way, he didn't need me, and I was so stupid to think he'd ever look for me,"

"He doesn't deserve you," Katherine offered with a harsh tone.

"But I'm his daughter! How can he go twenty-four years without seeing his daughter?" the blond finally broke down, sobbing as she looked at her best friend.

"Sometimes people go against their nature, either breaking or saving other people. I know parents are supposed to love their children above all, but some are so messed up that they can't even do the most natural, instinctual thing in the world. And that's their problem, their fault, their loss. I know it hurts, you know I do. But I also know you don't want him to die. You want to keep feeding your hope because that hope is what makes you feel better. The hope that one day he'll finally do the easiest, simplest thing and just be your dad instead of this unnatural stranger," Katherine offered, and Caroline knew the brunette was talking about herself and her situation as well.

"Thank you, Kat," Caroline offered, hugging her best friend, crying even more than before because she knew Katherine was right. She didn't want her father to die because she wasn't ready to give up hope of him actually showing he somehow cared about her and regretted his actions.

* * *

Katherine had to scrub in her next surgery, but she paged Klaus before leaving Caroline. She was aware they were now close friends, and she hoped he would be on a break soon. But minutes passed, and Klaus didn't come. Caroline didn't know Katherine had paged him, so she wasn't really expecting anyone. She just wanted to know how to approach Elena. It had been nearly an hour since she left the OR and still she didn't know how to feel, how to react, and especially what to expect.

But she had to do something. She was going crazy just sitting there consumed by despair. She knew though that the first thing she had to do was check on her father and make sure he was still alive.

She moved back to OR number seven, happy to know Isobel had her back turned to the glass. The general surgeon wouldn't like it if she saw Caroline there. The three surgeons were still operating on Grayson and while she didn't know details, at least they were still operating, which meant he was still alive. He had already made it two hours without dying. He didn't crash while she was there, and she hoped it hadn't happened since she had left.

She walked out of the OR and headed towards OR number fourteen. The hardest part was yet to come. This only proved how messed up her life was. Since when was harder letting your sister know your father is dying rather than checking if he's still alive?

She didn't hate Elena, but she never blamed the brunette for their father's actions. She didn't transfer her negative feelings towards the girl who had the family she had never had the chance to have. Elena shouldn't be blamed for Grayson's actions, but still she couldn't bring herself to accept the brunette's presence.

She could see her sister assisting Alaric, when she entered the OR. Everyone had good words about the intern, although nobody seemed too close to her, not even the new group of interns she was part of. But she knew Elena was a good surgeon, as much as any first year resident could be. Grayson was a doctor himself, although he wasn't the kind of doctor they were. He was a licensed psychologist. Caroline thought that he somehow must have helped Elena to deal with a lot of issues in her life. Unlike Liz. Or maybe he was no better than her mother. She just couldn't say, after all, it wasn't as if she knew the man

She took a deep breath, and knocked on the door, capturing the attention of the doctors and nurses inside. Using a mask to cover her mouth, she somehow found her voice.

"Dr. Saltzman, Dr. Forbes has been requested. Should I ask another intern or resident to Dr. Van der Woodsen? I'm not sure if there are any available at the moment," Caroline said with a somewhat firm voice.

"No, we're almost finished here. Go with Dr. Caroline, Dr. Forbes," Alaric said, while he closed up his patient.

The brunette only nodded, before joining her sister in front of the sinks to scrub out.

"He'll make it, thankfully," she offered a warm smile to Caroline. The blond couldn't manage to smile back, not because she wasn't happy for the patient, but because she knew she was going to break the kind girl's heart in a few minutes.

"I need you to go with me," Caroline simply informed once Elena was done scrubbing out.

"Sure," Elena answered, noticing that although still distant, Caroline seemed less stoic than usual. Situations like these changed people's views of life. It was just too brutal not to affect the people personally.

Elena expected them to enter another OR, but they actually left the corridor leaving most of the OR's behind them,heading towards the on call rooms nearby.

Caroline actually brought her sister to the same room where she had been absorbing the news only minutes ago.

"I don't know how to say this, and I'm sorry if I sound cold or distant or cruel, .It's not my intention," Caroline started nervously, fidgeting with her still dirty scrubs.

"What happened?" Elena asked, feeling her stomach drop. It couldn't be good, could it? Caroline was talking to her on her own free will after all.

"My patient, he's in a critical condition, his injuries are extensive. His documents were sort of ripped and soaked with blood, and it took them a while to identify who he was." Caroline took a solid breath "It's your father, Elena," Caroline said, trying to be as compassionate as possible when she felt like she couldn't even think.

"What?" Elena asked, her body collapsing to sit on the bed behind her.

"Before he had been identified we had been able to stop one of his more major internal bleeds. He has a lot of broken bones, a punctured lung and a lacerated liver. It doesn't look good. I'm so sorry," Caroline felt her hand moving to her half-sister's shoulder on its own accord.

"I need to see him," Elena stood up in a hurry.

"Elena, we can't go in there. Isobel is one of the very best at the hospital. She's doing her very best right now, and…" Caroline tried, but a crying Elena interrupted her yelling.

"Don't give me that best doctor crap, Caroline, doing her best doesn't mean he'll make it. That's my father in there. I need to see him!" Elena tried to leave, but Caroline held her back.

"Elena, please calm down," Caroline tried to sooth the intern, but Elena wasn't having any of that.

"How am I supposed to calm down? How can you be so cold, he's your father too," Elena shouted, sending Caroline a disgusted look

"You're wrong. That man isn't my father. He abandoned me when I was two and never looked back," the blond answered defensively and harshly.

"Because Liz wouldn't let him!" Elena yelled, defending Grayson promptly.

"Excuse me?" Caroline asked shocked, letting go of Elena's arms.

"I remember him crying on my mother's shoulder, talking about his little girl. I used to think it was about me, but when I got a little bit older they told me about you, and then I knew he had been crying for you. Your mother did everything in her power to make sure he wouldn't come close to you. Mom thinks that Liz was punishing him, and she did a great job because my father has never been truly happy since, no matter how much we tried," Elena's voice didn't lower, as she exposed her father's pain.

"If he wanted to get to know me, he would have tried harder. He simply gave up on me when things got hard," Caroline answered back, although she was still shocked to know Grayson had tried.

"Why do you think I'm even here? Do you really think I wanted to work with the woman that broke my father like that? I'm sorry your mother died, I really am, but do you really think I wanted to look at her face? Don't you think I've heard of Liz Forbes all the way from NYU? I knew she was going to turn my residency into hell, but I did it because of dad. When you turned eighteen he wanted to come see you because there was nothing else that Liz could do, but he didn't know how to approach you. He was afraid of your reaction. He was guilty and he felt like a failure and undeserving of you," Elena cried, remembering how difficult those times had been for her family. It affected everyone because it was consuming Grayson.

"I'm sorry," Caroline offered a few minutes later, watching as Elena quietly cried. She didn't know what to do with that information. It didn't make things right and she still thought Grayson could have tried harder, but it felt good to know her father had at least wanted her back in his life.

Elena looked up to Caroline, who also had tears, "Do you want me to call your family?" she asked, holding Elena's hand.

"No, I'll do it," the brunette tried to calm herself a little bit before taking her phone from her back pocket.

Caroline watched as the brunette struggled to talk to her mother, who worked as a nurse in a private practice.

"I don't hate you," the second year resident offered after Elena disconnected the call.

"You could have fooled me," Elena retorted.

"It's just you had everything I didn't, you were the constant reminder that I wasn't good enough for even my father's love," Caroline confessed, looking vulnerable and broken.

"I'm sorry, I really am, about how dad and your mother handed this. You probably deserved better," the intern tried to wipe her tears, but she couldn't. Her thoughts jumping between her father, but also on the girl sitting by her side. She had always felt bad for Caroline, and although Grayson had been the first reason why she tried to approach Caroline, and maybe patch up the way for her father, she also wanted Caroline to have her. Her, Jeremy and Meredith had wanted to meet the only blond in the family just as much as their father, but like Grayson, they didn't know how to approach Caroline, they didn't know what to expect. And based on Elena's experience these last three months, they were right to be cautious.

"Thank you," Caroline smiled weakly, before the room went silent, except for Elena's occasional sniffling.

* * *

"Caroline?" Klaus entered the room about twenty minutes later.

"Klaus!" Caroline watched as Elena stood up and threw her arms around him.

The man frowned, and somewhat froze as well as he felt Elena pressing her body against his while she cried.

"What happened?" he asked confused.

"My father is among the victims, it's bad, Klaus, it's really bad," Elena's voice was muffled, but both blonds understood her somehow.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said, although Caroline could see clearly how uncomfortable he was by the brunette hugging him. Klaus wasn't only her resident. He had been nice to her after they decided to stop their fling some weeks ago. He had also been friendly when most weren't. Not only was she an intern, the bottom position of surgery's chain, but also some sort of enemy of the hospital's sweetheart. People were just starting to warm up to the kind and compassionate intern, but her first weeks had been hard with all the expected challenges and the ones she didn't see coming.

He looked intensely at Caroline, who was still sitting on the bed. He tilted his head to the side, asking her with his eyes how she was, and she only nodded.

"I'm sorry," Elena offered, breaking the contact between them. She knew Klaus wasn't one to show many emotions, and she was positive he didn't come there to comfort her, but the other blond in the room.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he offered, kissing Elena's forehead, and that actually bothered Caroline. Why were they that close to start with? Klaus was far from friendly with his interns, quite the opposite. She didn't understand where the apparently close link to Elena came from, but even more incomprehensible was her reaction to their proximity. She felt jealous.

"How is he?" he asked Caroline, seeing as she was in a better shape than Elena, obviously.

"I don't know, when I scrubbed out they had controlled one bleeding and were working on another, but they were yet to start work on his lungs and liver," Caroline said, trying to cover the emotions that weren't related to her father's condition at all. She didn't need these feelings for Klaus at the moment. She already had a lot on her plate with Grayson and Elena.

"Were you operating on him?" Klaus asked shocked.

"It took them a while to identify him," Caroline answered quietly, a tear dropping, remembering how she didn't even recognize her own father at first.

Before anyone else in the room could say anything more Caroline's and Elena's pagers went off. They knew it was news, but it couldn't be good ones if they were paging them so early. Their father's surgery would take hours.

"Thank God," Elena offered relieved, sitting again.

"Bonnie says he's fighting, they controlled most of the bleedings and are going to start work on the organs," Caroline informed Klaus.

"I'm sorry, love," he said sitting between the two broken girls, kissing Caroline's forehead just like he had kissed Elena's minutes ago. He may have had the worst possible relationship with his father, but he also knew the pain of losing family. He had been there, he had been in a waiting room for hours and in his case hours became days and days became weeks. Although he wasn't that close to Elena, he knew the brunette was alone and her relationship with Caroline wasn't the best. He couldn't help but feel bad for her as well, but he didn't know what to do. He wasn't good at comforting in the first place, but if he was to attempt it his first priority was Caroline. Still, he didn't know how to comfort one girl, let alone two and at the same time.

Caroline rested her head against his shoulder, while Elena just sat there. The brunette was the one that was hurting more at the moment, but she knew Klaus' relationship with Caroline was very different from theirs. They were ex-lovers that were civil towards each other who sometimes had a moment here or there during work. They were heading to maybe a friendship, but she had already heard Klaus' reputation at the hospital and she knew they would probably never evolve to more than acquaintances. But that didn't stop her from developing feelings for him. It was easy to fall for his sexy accent, flawless looks and great skills in bed.

Elena knew despite both of them being there, they weren't there exactly for her, but it still helped. She knew it wouldn't be long until her mother and siblings went there, and just sitting close to her sister and the closest thing she had to a friend at the hospital had been enough. Eventually Klaus thought maybe bringing Elena closer wouldn't hurt, and feeling the blonde's arm bringing her close, Elena just leaned on his body the same way Caroline had been.

* * *

Time seemed to have stopped altogether. Minutes seemed to last hours, and even if her family was already there, Elena couldn't control her anxiety. Alaric had released her and Caroline for the day when he finished his surgery and was informed of everything that was going on by Serena. Elena decided to stay, there was no way she would go home, but Caroline was quite the opposite, preferring to be at home alone, rather than in the cold hospital.

The blond drove herself home, and although she had been slightly distracted, she made it home safely, texting her friends when she arrived. She took a long shower, letting the jet of water fall on her, without really washing herself. If only the water could erase the day's events or simply wash them away from her mind…

She took her prescribed medicine, her head hurting more than ever, and waited, waited and waited. She was really sleepy, but still she couldn't bring her eyes to close, even if she was lying in Klaus' bed, hugging his pillow. It was almost evening when she finally received a text from Bonnie informing her that they had been able to fix the damage that could only be fixed by surgery. Yet, it was still too early to know if Grayson was out of the woods or not. Caroline felt relieved to know that her father was still alive, even if his condition was still quite critical. She would hold onto whatever good news she received.

The text had been enough to set her mind at ease for the moment, and finally she found herself falling asleep in Klaus' bed.

* * *

Klaus, of course, had to stay at the hospital, as he was on call and a lot of residents who weren't had also ended up staying to help with the last surgical cases. He had called Caroline between his breaks, but while he had been able to talk to her twice, his last few attempts she didn't answer. He was concerned about her, but he knew she was probably sleeping.

One of the female residents that had to stay to help agreed to help him when he approached her to cover the rest of his shift for him. He left one and a half hours before he was supposed to, and drove home. He had to check on Caroline, and he was going to drive her back to the hospital, and maybe, it there was time, take a shower, but when he arrived at the house he changed his plans about washing the smell of blood from his body, even if he had showered last night already.

There wasn't any traffic, as it was just a little bit past four in the morning, and he was able to get home in fifteen minutes. They had almost an hour to spare, considering the morning traffic they would meet once they left. But he would rather have only a few minutes with her than none at all.

He unsurprisingly found her in his bedroom, but he couldn't think of taking care of himself when she looked so fragile, even in her sleep.

"Klaus," she called while he looked for more comfortable clothes to join her in the bed.

"I'm here, love, sorry to wake you up," he apologized, giving up on finding a clean shirt, and just changing into sweat pants.

"I've been awake for a while," she offered, although her eyes were still closed.

He moved to the bed, noticing she was sleeping on his side not 'hers'. He sat on the edge of the bed, and she made space for him to lie as well. She didn't waste any time before moving to his chest, small tears already falling from her eyes.

Klaus reached for the paper he had put away on his nightstand when he quietly entered the room, knowing she would want to know it.

"I've checked on him before I left. He's stable. I copied the notes from his chart," he informed, stroking her hair, "Do you want me to read it for you?" he asked, and she only nodded.

He went through all the procedures they had done and the ones they couldn't because it would be too risky. He gave her all the medical details, and although her father's condition was still critical, the good thing was that he was still hanging in there. That was a lot better than she had expected when she left the OR the previous day, so she was thankful.

"Thank you," she said after he was done updating her.

"I'm sorry, love," he kissed her head, and she only nodded again, her tears intensifying as he held her close to his body. But at the moment there was nothing he could do, except hope Grayson Forbes wouldn't die on the precious girl in his arms. He didn't think she could afford another loss in such a small amount of time and the thought of losing Caroline anyhow, made his heart clench.

* * *

_AN: At least I didn't kill anyone - yet - so one more prove this isn't really a crossover between TVD and GA, hehehehehe._

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter - is a very emotional one - and don't mind Klaus calling Elena 'sweetheart'- as much as I did when I read it - but I suppose that's part of his charm.  
_

_Next: couple's reconciliation alert, someone finally tells their story, we meet Miranda, Jeremy and Meredith.  
_

_Thanks a lot to all my reviewers, and a big thanks to my beta, **Erin**._

_Don't forget to review and make me happy :)_

_Have a nice week!  
_


	10. Chapter IX

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter IX**

The ride to the hospital had been quiet. Caroline didn't talk at all since she had thanked him for being there for her, and informing her about her father's condition. Knowing that there was nothing to be said that could give Caroline real comfort he stayed silent.

Caroline didn't know what to do. Alaric had called her to his office first thing the next morning to check on her, and see if she would be able to work. Assuring him that she was okay he allowed her to work with a frown on his face. He knew she was far from 'okay'. There were still many people to be operated on, patients who had been sedated through the night to await their turn. Most cases were orthopedic, but Caroline didn't mind. It was a welcomed distraction, even if she hated orthopedics. It also prevented her from doing something else.

Klaus had informed her of her father's room, but she couldn't find the courage to go. She knew that the chances of seeing someone from his new family were high, and she didn't want to face that just yet. Alaric had also commented he had released Elena for the day, and Caroline knew for sure the brunette would be there. It was hard, and awkward, to be around Elena. She could only imagine how much worse it would be facing the rest of her father's family.

The morning went fairly well, she had avoided her father's room, his family and even Mason. He desperately wanted to check in on her, to be there for her and also apologize for his behavior a couple of days ago, but she had asked him to back off if he really cared about her. He had promptly agreed, and she was thankful that she had handled at least one of the many uncomfortable conversations she would be having.

Klaus was currently in surgery, along with Katherine, which left Stefan and Caroline, as Bonnie was MIA. The former roommates talked a little bit about their cases, before Stefan briefly addressed Grayson. Caroline was grateful for his concern, and ensured him she was dealing with it the best she could, but she preferred if they didn't talk about it. The intern had agreed, and they continued eating in silence. That is, until _someone_ broke it.

"Caroline," looking behind her Caroline found not only Elena, but a young man and woman.

"Elena," Caroline muttered in return.

"Hi, Elena, I'm sorry about your father," Stefan jumped in, seeing how both female doctors seemed uncomfortable and hurting.

"Thanks, Stefan," the other intern offered with a small smile.

"Do you want to join us?" Stefan asked, seeing how the three people standing had trays with food.

"Would you mind, Caroline?" Elena asked, and the blond simply shook her head.

"This is Caroline Forbes, our half-sister. Caroline, this is Meredith and Jeremy, my youngest siblings," Elena introduced.

Caroline looked at them, their eyes notably puffy and red while they said 'hello', but the blond didn't know what to say.

"And this is Stefan, a fellow intern," Elena continued when Caroline didn't say anything.

"It's nice to meet you, despite the terrible circumstances. I'm sorry about your father," he repeated his words of minutes ago.

The two raven-haired people thanked him before sitting and eating. The tension could have been cut with a scalpel, making them all the quieter.

"Elena said you're one of the very best residents in the program, Caroline," it was the girl, Meredith, who broke the silence.

"I think she's exaggerating," Caroline answered shyly.

"Or being biased, Elena is always biased about us, but I'm sure you're very good," Jeremy smiled to his older sister.

Caroline felt her eyes watering. She had always wanted to have siblings, and to feel that somehow Elena thought she was great because she was biased because they were sisters, touched Caroline somehow.

"Each hour he makes it through improves his chances of making it for good," she offered, a small tears escaping from her control, as she looked to her half-siblings.

"Dr. Saltzman said it earlier, but they also said he's still in the rough waters," Meredith said, tears also falling from her eyes.

"He seems like a strong man," Caroline offered a small smile, "It also helps to have family be strong in times like these,"

"Thank you, Caroline," Elena said, knowing that it comforted her brother and sister, as well as herself, to know Caroline cared about Grayson and maybe about them as well.

"Don't give up on faith," Stefan offered to the other four people at the table, "Don't give up on hope. It's all you have now, but it's also powerful," he completed.

Meredith nodded, while Jeremy looked away, too emotional. Elena just closed her eyes, tears falling from it, while Caroline reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"He's always there, you know? Through everything in my life, my father was always there for me. I don't know if I can survive in a world where my old man isn't showing me the way," Jeremy said a few minutes later, nobody touching their food anymore.

"So don't think about having to do it without him," Caroline turned to her brother, thinking of him as so for the first time in her life.

She didn't know how she had found comfort in the middle of it all, but having her half-siblings at the moment, feeling a similar pain, comforted her. Deep down in her heart she knew there was a still a high risk of her losing her father, but at the same time it seemed like she was winning a family. Her blood family.

* * *

Grayson had yet to wake up. Under normal circumstances patients didn't take this long to wake from surgery; except if they fell into a coma by some change. But this wasn't a usual case, and his body had been under an abundance of stress.

Caroline didn't know how to react. She had been able to concentrate on her surgery, even if her mind couldn't stop wondering about her father. The moment with her siblings during lunch had been nice, and she wondered if things would be so easy if their father wasn't still fighting for life. Tragedy brings people closer, it makes them more compassionate and forgiving. The country had been mourning the victims from the brutal accident. New York was grieving for the hundreds of people dead and the hundreds injured. Nobody knew how the tragic accident occurred – although some speculated terrorism – because there weren't enough clues to piece together how or why the train went off its tracks and invaded the station.

"You did a great job today, Caroline," Isobel offered as they scrubbed out of the surgery.

"Thanks, Dr. Saltzman," the blond offered with a small smile.

"I suppose that's one good thing you took from your mother. Liz was always able to concentrate on her work no matter what happened around her," the attending doctor offered with a warm smile, thinking that was something that would make Caroline happy. It was no secret the young resident had always tried to impress her mother and make her proud of who she had become. Isobel felt deeply for Liz's unfortunate death and for Caroline's deception. The girl probably thought she was a failure and Isobel felt like she owed it to her friend to let Caroline know things Liz didn't say much.

"To be honest I hope I don't become so career-oriented. My mother lived for her work, I want more in life, I have other people in life that aren't my patients," Caroline offered honestly. She admired her mother for being such a great doctor, but if the price to be a legend was anything like what Elizabeth Forbes had given aka everything else, Caroline would happily settle for being just an ordinary surgeon.

"Your mother focused on her career because she had never been good at dealing with feelings and people. The only way she knew how to connect with people was with a scalpel in her hand. She improved her bedside manners as the years passed, but at first not even that she understood," Isobel offered and Caroline was actually taken aback.

"Can I make you a question?" Caroline said as they walked through the long corridor.

"Sure,"

"Did my mother ever threaten my father or make it difficult for him to see me?" Caroline asked, already feeling the tears burning her eyes. She didn't know which answer would break her more: knowing her father probably lied (or Elena in his place) or knowing her mother had been so selfish.

Isobel sighed, but she really owed it to Caroline.

"Liz had been much more hurt by Grayson's departure than she ever let show. She may have been focused on her career, and a baby wasn't part of her plans so early in her married life, but she loved your father, Caroline. He was the only man she had ever loved, and on the rare occasions I'd seen your mother overwrought with emotion was because of Grayson. He didn't hurt just her feelings when he left to be with Miranda. He hurt her pride when he chose a nurse over a future surgeon. They were both doctors, and for him to choose a nurse over her meant she was irrelevant. I think one of the biggest reasons why she had been so career-driven was because of that. She wanted to prove to Grayson she would have been the better choice," the general surgeon explained, but it didn't convince the blond.

"That still doesn't answer my question," Caroline said as they approached the doctors' office, where they would talk to the patient's family in a few minutes.

"Yes, she threatened him, she made things difficult. She prohibited him from getting close to you and said she would fabricate lies about him if she needed to. I don't know a lot of the details, but I know Grayson felt terrible about leaving her, about breaking her and she knew it, so she used it against him. She threatened to take you away and go to some country, or even give you up for adoption saying he had abandoned both of you," Isobel said once they were inside her office.

"He could have tried harder," Caroline muttered, close to tears again but holding back as best as she could knowing her intern would bring the family in at any moment.

"He could, but no matter how much he tried, he knew he would lose it. You know well what your mother is capable of, Caroline. I'm not exempting him, far from it, but I'm not sure he would have been successful in being there for you. Liz was going to take it to court, and those battles can be nasty, especially for the kid," Isobel also fought her tears, seeing how hurt and broken Caroline had been not only because of the last twenty-four years, but also the last twenty-four hours.

"I don't know what could have been worse than believing my whole life that he didn't love me enough to even send me a card," the blond couldn't hold back a couple of tears, wiping them as soon as they were shed.

"I'm sorry, Care," Isobel hugged the blond, but they broke apart once they heard a knock on the door.

"It's okay," Caroline offered sadly, trying to recover her composure as her patient's family arrived.

Caroline didn't pay close attention to the explanation Isobel was providing. All she could think was of _her own family_, or the lack thereof.

And now she had the answer to her question. She felt even worse now than when she thought Grayson didn't love her or fight for her. Because at least in that scenario; only one of her parents hadn't loved her enough. Knowing Liz had made it difficult for her father only showed her mother also hadn't loved her fully. Caroline tried to keep her feelings for her mother neutral, but knowing this tipped the scale, and not in her favor.

What kind of mother would deprive her child of their father because of revenge or pride? Caroline could only think of one: the one that didn't love their child.

If Isobel had compared mother and daughter under any one circumstance, Caroline would be proud to know she had at least her mother's diligence and endurance. It was an honor to have something in common with the great Elizabeth Forbes, but today Caroline didn't think so. She hoped she ended up being her mother's opposite, even if it included their careers being polar opposites.

This job meant a lot for Caroline, but it was far from being everything. Now that she had finally had a relationship, she dared to dream of more for her life. For a long time she thought she was destined to have the same life her mother had, no family, no human connections, no feelings. At first it had been out of fear of being abandoned, or hurt like she had been by her own father. Later it was simply because she didn't think she was emotionally healthy to afford a long term relationship.

Even if things with Mason had been far from ideal and the whole experience had hurt her a lot, but at least she realized she was capable of being in a relationship. She had finally come to terms with the fact that he really did have to give his marriage one last go to see if he couldn't make things work. She put herself in his place, and if she had a husband she would've tried everything and then some to make it work. It had hurt, but she understood where he was coming from.

Something had changed. She didn't know what exactly, but after three months of being apart from Mason, it didn't hurt so much anymore. That ache in her heart was dulling down. Even if she still had hope, cried some nights, or looked longingly at him when she thought nobody was watching. But that stingy pain had gone away. It became easier and they had a normal, friendly relationship, that is until he decided to be a caveman about her and Damon kissing. But she knew it had been a terrible choice made by them. They had been reckless and hurt Mason — although they didn't owe the neurosurgeon any explanation about their personal lives.

Some nights she thought she was falling out of love with Mason, but she quickly dismissed those thoughts. She could still feel her love for him, and when he smiled his perfect smile, she still felt butterflies. But now something was missing. She just didn't know what.

Regardless of where her relationship with Mason would go, it had changed Caroline's hopes and dreams. She felt like she could finally dream of a family, of having a husband, even if they never signed any papers. A partner: someone for her to spend the rest of her life with, and maybe have a couple of children with. That wasn't a dream she had before Mason, and she couldn't hope for something she knew for sure wouldn't happen. She didn't have enough faith, she used to think she wasn't girlfriend material, she used to think she was too damaged and too afraid. And in those moments she tried to look to her mother's life and see if Liz was happy. Her mother died before Caroline had ever been able to figure it out. But now she didn't have to think of having a life similar to her mother's as her only option. She knew she could do much better, she _wanted_ to do much better. Maybe with Mason. Maybe not. Caroline couldn't say that yet, but deep in her heart she knew, someday she would be happy with the man of her dreams, or simply her man. Caroline wished to dwell on her thoughts longer, but the persistent beeping of her pager interrupted her thoughts.

Looking at her page she saw it was the man of her life. At least at the moment, and she could gladly say Klaus made her happy even if he wasn't her boyfriend.

* * *

"Hey," she said entering the very old man's room, where he had asked her to meet him.

"Hi," he offered quietly and she knew something had happened. He had long lost his quiet behavior around her.

"What happened?" she asked before he said another word.

"He woke up," he said and for a moment the world stopped for Caroline Forbes.

"Wh- when?" she asked.

"Five minutes ago. Elena asked me to let you know," he said, his hands on his pockets, as he watched her reaction closely.

She sat in the nearest chair, not knowing exactly what to do.

"Is he talking? Is he okay?" she asked, trying to figure out where to start.

"Yes, he's very weak and a little bit confused, but he seems to have his main physical capabilities intact," Klaus said, and she only nodded.

"I can't, Klaus, I can't go there. I'm not ready. I don't even know if he wants me there," she said, as she started to cry.

"You don't have to go there if you don't want, sweetheart, take your time. The important thing now is that he woke up," he crouched in front of her, propping his hands on her knees.

"It's just, I've always thought he didn't love me, you know. But now I know he just didn't love me enough to face my off with my mother," she admitted, looking away slightly.

"Hey, hey, don't go there. I don't know anything about the guy, but I'm sure leaving you behind must have hurt him a lot,"

"Still he chose to leave me,"

"I can't understand how someone could ever think of leaving you, love. It's impossible not to love you, Care," he used the nickname all their friends used. It was rare for him to call her that, and she honestly preferred his own pet names for her.

"I'm never anyone's first choice," she said in low voice, "They either choose their careers, a new family or even an old family over me. I'm always the one that is left behind or left sitting in the corner. I don't want to have great expectations of what will happen from now on, only to be scorned again. I'm tired of being rejected. I'm exhausted." she cried harder, leading Klaus to pull her against his body.

"I would never choose anyone over you, sweetheart. You've been so compassionate towards me; you've chosen me over Bonnie and Stefan even if you did it by not choosing anyone. You've been there for me. I'll always be there for you, Caroline," he said softly, as he stroked her hair.

"Thank you," Caroline whispered, thinking of his words. He had been proving them true, even if in just a short space of time. He had been there for her constantly and many times without her asking. He was a good friend, and when he said things like this Caroline wished he was more. She had vowed not to sleep with him because she valued their friendship, but when he said such perfect words she wished they were more.

She wasn't in love with him. Maybe physically attracted, at the most, but being attracted to Klaus was almost a given. Not only he was absolutely handsome, but also very charming, not only with his sexy accent, but also in the way he looked, he touched her, he walked. Everything about him screamed charm. But maybe it was a good thing she wasn't in love with him. Klaus also screamed heartbreak and she knew he wasn't a relationship kind of guy. But when he spoke to her like this she had to actually remind herself that she shouldn't fall for him. Hearing his sweet and comforting voice – emphasized by his accent – made her heart flutter. But she had too much on her plate already do deal with developing romantic feelings for her womanizer roommate.

* * *

Her shift had already ended, but there was one more thing Katherine had to do. She checked the surgery board, to find Elijah. He was there with another couple of residents, and taking a deep breath she walked towards his office. His routine was reliable, he'd always return to his office before heading home. Sometimes he would do paperwork, but most time he would use to check missed messages or go over the following day's schedule.

It took him nearly two hours, but he finally entered his office, wanting nothing more than to go home. He had been working almost non-stop for the past thirty-six hours. And right now, if he was to be able to continue working tomorrow, he would need sleep more than anything else. Which is why he was so unprepared for what awaited him in his office; this was not on his schedule.

"Hi," Katherine said quietly from his couch.

"Dr. Pierce, it's a surprise to see you here, I thought you would have already left," he offered, looking slightly uneasy.

"I'm not here as a resident, Elijah. I'm here as Katherine," she clarified, and he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Okay," he simply said, locking the door behind him, before taking a seat in his chair, opposed to sitting close to her on the couch.

Katherine, in a rare display of humility, looked down, and offered him a small smile.

"These last couple of days have been pretty intense," she said, and he nodded softly, in agreement, not knowing what to say or what to expect. The Katherine he knew would never look for him or show any sign of weakness. The woman sitting across him looked so small. A stranger under familiar skin.

"I don't think I've ever seen so many people dying before," she admitted, her eyes teary, and her lips quivering.

"I've been through a couple of catastrophes before, but this has been the most serious," he offered, still somewhat lost and confused.

"Caroline operated on her father for an hour without realizing who he really was," Katherine offered, the first tear rolling down her face. It was the first time Elijah had seen her cry and he wanted nothing more than to go to her, and comfort her in his arms. He would do just that if he knew that that was what she wanted or needed. But things with Katherine were never easy. She was a complex woman, and she didn't react like the average person. She was a mystery for him even after living with her for a few months and being in a relationship for almost a year.

"But the man was also a stranger to her. He hasn't been her father for twenty-four years, and she's was hurting. The thing, well, what I'm trying to say is that we can't help how we feel about people. We can't help who we love, even if they don't deserve our feelings," she offered a sarcastic smile, or tried to, as her tears made it just a sad attempt to address the irony of her words.

"I know how it feels. To feel like your father is anything but your father. I'm an only child and since I was eight my own father had been abusing me sexually. I didn't know what to do at first, because he's a respected politician in Los Angeles, but when I was ten I approached my mother and tried to tell her. I couldn't bring myself to say it clearly, but even being a child I noticed half way through our conversation that she had known it all along and had never done anything. She said she would talk to him, but if she did, it never changed anything," Katherine explained, her tears intensifying, as she finally opened up to the man she still loved.

"He didn't abuse me in a routinely way. Sometimes he spent months without touching me, appropriately or not. But sometimes he came for me more than once a week. I was very… petite as a child, and I'm somewhat thankful for that because he didn't start touching me until I was fourteen. Before that time he would make me take off my clothes — he'd make me touch myself, while he touched himself.

"Then he started touching me. I was fourteen when it got worse, and it was when I finally decided that I was going to the cops, but my mother wouldn't let me. Instead she sent me to boarding school, saying that she was already risking a lot by sending me away from him," Katherine continued, and Elijah felt sick to his stomach. He was aggravated by her words, in a way that he couldn't even react. He wanted to find this sick man that had broken his own daughter and kill him with his bare hands. Elijah was far from a violent man, and he had only truly felt this way once before. Katherine had no idea how close to home her story hit him.

"I've never lived with my parents since. Once I finished boarding school I went straight to UCLA. I lived in the dorms, even over holiday breaks instead of going home. I even lived in them through pre-med and med-school. I can count the times I've seen my parents since then on both my hands. Even though I didn't stay at home for the holidays I would visit, but only on the rare occasion, most of them while I was still in high school. You know, they didn't even come to any of my graduations. I don't even know if they're aware I'm in New York now," she bit her lip, wiping the tears that were now less intense.

"But yesterday, when Caroline realized it was her father fighting for his life, she didn't want him to die, because he was still her father, even if he had never really been one to her. Then I realize if it was my father there, between life and death, I wouldn't want him to die. I've hated him since the first night he asked me to take my clothes off for him. But he's still my father. She said that every day she hoped Grayson would show up and ask for forgiveness, regretting his actions. I didn't realize until then that I have the same feeling. I'm still waiting for my father to regret what he's done to me, and ask for my forgiveness, even if I can't bring myself to forgive him."

"I don't want to hate my father and I don't want to lose him either. I guess the only thing I really want is for us to be a family again, somehow. I mean… if your parents can't love you, who's to say that anybody else could, right?" her voice cracked and this time Elijah didn't stop himself. He walked around the desk, and taking her in his arms, he brought the broken woman to sit on his lap while he sat on the couch.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine, I really am," he said, but he knew it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough for him to say those words as much as it wasn't enough for her to hear them.

"And then I thought, this wasn't something only Caroline and I along share. I thought of you. I thought of you and Klaus and your family. I don't know what he did to you and to your family, Elijah, but you don't know if he's going to be here tomorrow, and if he dies or goes away to a place where you can't find him, you'll regret it." she spoke more confidently.

But truth was Elijah had been thinking about the exact same thing even before he had found Katherine in his office. As doctors they got used to dealing with death on a daily basis, especially as surgeons. It was a horrible thing to admit, but the impact and the brutality of seeing a life end, fades away as the years pass for doctors, and although one case or another does touch them from time to time, death was usually routine. But then something huge like the accident happens, and they awaken and see past the gauze. They notice again that death is the most tragic and brutal thing in life. And that made him thankful that he still had a brother, alive, working at the same place as him. He knew by experience just because they were young didn't mean they couldn't die. He knew he could lose yet another member of his family any day. And Katherine had been right. If he lost Klaus before even trying to forgive him, he wouldn't forgive himself for the rest of his life.

"You're right," he answered, quietly.

"I love you, 'Lijah. I've never stopped. And I was too proud to beg you to take me back, to beg you to reconsider your decision, but I'm not now. Not anymore," she started, but was interrupted by him.

"Please, Katherine," he slipped his fingers to her lips, sealing them, "Don't say anything else, I don't want to listen you say those words," his voice was soft, but still it broke her to know Caroline wasn't right. He didn't love her anymore, but she wasn't mad on her best friend for deluding her to think so. She was happy she had opened her heart to him, even if only to be rejected. It felt liberating.

"I don't want you to beg me, when, if there was anyone that should be begging, it's me," he offered looking at her eyes about to feel his own releasing the tears he had been so bravely holding.

"I wish there was something I could do to make us be back together," she said against his fingers, more tears falling from her eyes, "I don't want the people I love away from me — and you, Elijah, are the one I love the most," she admitted before the feel of his lips replaced his fingertips. It wasn't anything grand, but it was full of reassurance and comfort. Something they both needed at the moment.

"I'll talk to Alaric, tomorrow, first thing in the morning. I'll ask for a meeting with the board of directors, I'll agree to any demands they ask, as long as I can be with you. I made a mistake, Kat. I chose the easy way out. I chose what I knew was certain, what depended on only me to be kept. I've made a mistake, but if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I want to fix it. I want to be with you. It's the only thing I really want and what I really need," he pleaded, his eyes red and shining with unshed tears.

"I love you," she answered, hugging him with all her strength while she finally broke down, sobbing against his hard body while the pain that had been consuming her for the past two days finally exploded. But now she had him. Now he would be there for her and it made things much easier and it made her stronger because she had just discovered that allowing yourself to be vulnerable, to show weakness, makes you the strongest person in the world.

* * *

Caroline had asked Klaus to thank Elena for letting her know about Grayson, but that had been it. The resident didn't go to her father that day. Klaus was on call again – Katherine had asked him to change with her – and he had filled Caroline in about her father's condition as soon as Isobel had updated his charts and ran a few tests.

They were still waiting another twenty-four hours before clearing any immediate complications. Another surgery was going to be needed, but they didn't want to risk having another major surgery too soon. Luckily, his body was reacting well, and there wouldn't be any setbacks.

The following day Caroline had been thankful to be under Elijah's services. It was always a busy day if you were a heart surgeon, and that allowed her to focus on something other than her constant thoughts. But now that they had finished two operations, finished their rounds and post-ops, she didn't have much to do with Elijah for the remaining two hours of her shift. She wanted nothing more than to have her father ask for her, but she tried to keep her expectations low. He hadn't asked for her in twenty-four years, she shouldn't expect that to change just because of his near death experience. Or maybe that was when she actually should expect it.

"Dr. Forbes?" someone called her from behind.

Caroline turned, and her heart stopped in her chest when she realized who it was.

"Mrs. Forbes," Caroline answered politely.

"I was wondering if you had five minutes?" Miranda asked politely.

"I'm not in Mr. Forbes case anymore, Mrs. Forbes," Caroline tried to dodge, but the mature woman wouldn't allow her to escape so easily.

"I don't want to talk about your former patient, Dr. Forbes, I actually want to talk about my husband, my children's father, your father," the woman sounded sweet and warm, and Caroline didn't know what to say. She had been too emotionally drained to try and figure out an excuse.

"Sure, let's go to the cafeteria, we can have a little more of privacy there," Caroline sighed, offering a resigned smile.

"Dr. Saltzman said the worst is gone and Grayson should probably lead to a successful recovery," the woman said as they walked.

"I'm very glad to know it," Caroline answered honestly.

"He's asked about you," the woman said, surprising Caroline by addressing the elephant in the room so early in their conversation.

"Oh," was all she could say.

At that exact moment the women crossed paths with Klaus, who had looked at her with a hint of concern on his face. Her phone vibrated with a new message even before the two women reached the cafeteria.

_Need rescue? _– he simply asked, and she smiled at her phone. He could read her mind, it seemed, but she decided to be brave.

_Not yet_ - she typed back, while she and Miranda waited for their coffees.

"Caroline, I don't even know how to look at you. I feel like I'm partially responsible for you losing your father and for that I'm sorry. I've never been opposed to the idea of him being a part of your life, especially after Elena was born. I could only imagine how sad it must have been for you not to have your dad. But I must confess, I never really encouraged him to do something about it. I've been neglectful not only about your happiness, but also about the man I love's happiness. I knew he needed help, my support, and I've failed him, and for that I'm sorry," Miranda offered, leaving Caroline at a loss of how to respond. She had never expected Miranda to apologize for her share of blame.

"But I hope to be able to fix some of my mistakes now. He deserves a chance, Caroline. He's the villain in your story, but he's also a victim. The victim of terrible circumstances, poor decisions, and unfortunate events. He's an amazing man, and he's a great father, but although I could never say that to my children, I can tell you, with all honesty, that although he has been great for Elena, Meredith and Jeremy I know he held back because of you. He never embraced his role as their father completely. I don't know if it was out of guilt, or bitterness, because although he has been there for them, he had also been distant. And once again I proved to be selfish. I saw it happening and I knew what I could do to fix it. But I also knew how very difficult it would be to face your mother, and I didn't want my children to be jealous or feel threatened. He loves you, Caroline, and I don't have a right to ask you this, but he deserves a chance."

"He can't make up for the years he had been absent, he can't turn back time, but both of you can change the future. He can walk you to the aisle when you get married, he can be there for you when you finally end your residency, he can be there for you when you become a mother, he can give you advice, he can be your father, if you ever need one. It's up to you," Miranda said with teary eyes that held hope, guilt and compassion.

"I'll think about it," Caroline said, and that was the best she could offer to anyone at the moment.

* * *

_AN: Kalijah! I want to hear from their fans. I know it's not like Katherine (in this story) to say those things, but I wanted to emphasize how an accident like that can affect people. It affected Caroline, Katherine, Elijah and others deeply._

_Erin has pointed out she wanted a more unapologetic and stronger Caroline. My stories are always characters' journeys. Expect to see most of those characters change a lot throughout it. They will grow, they'll learn from their mistakes, they'll end better than they started. She has serious abandonment issues not only about her father, but also because of her mother and lately Mason. She's insecure, she has self-esteem issues and combined with her forgiving and kind persona, it makes her weak at times. It will change, but as everything in life, it takes time.  
_

_And she started thinking of Klaus like something more (can I hear a roar of applause? use the bottom below to show them :P) and although feelings wise this will still be more focused on Klaus, I'll show a bit of Caroline's side here and there.  
_

_Next chapter is so amazing (sorry if I'm biased). Klaus is there for Caroline in so many beautiful (and stressful) ways. It's one of my faves. And the Elena-phant in the room will finally be addressed. And two people will be kissing - not for the first time for them, but for the first time for you. And we'll have maintenance problems.  
_

_Now, I would love some reviews, and I want to thank my reviewers, the people who added this story to their faves and alerts and my lovely beta, **Erin.**  
_

_Have a nice weekend you all.  
_

_xoxo  
_


	11. Chapter X

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**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter X**

* * *

Grayson had been released from the hospital three weeks later and Caroline had yet to meet her father. Things with Elena had also digressed a little bit, and Caroline wasn't sure if the brunette was just giving her space or simply hurt by the second-year resident's actions. But the blue-eyed doctor couldn't help it. She needed more time.

But her father couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't deal with the guilt and pain for another day and seeing as he was going to leave the hospital in the next few hours he decided to finally take matters – and responsibility – into his own hands, and own up to the biggest mistake of his life.

It was during lunch time when he spotted Caroline and Klaus having lunch together. He was planning on looking for her closer to the end of her shift, but it seemed like now was as good of time as any.

"Excuse me," he approached dejectedly, not really knowing what else to say, though he wanted to slap his face. That came out wrong and cold.

Caroline panicked. She had been thinking a lot about her father, but she didn't know how to start the conversation they needed and now that he finally did, in the most awkward way, she wanted to run.

"Mr. Forbes, good afternoon," Klaus offered when nearly a minute passed and no one said anything. The middle-age man was still standing while the two residents stopped talking and eating.

"Do you mind if I join you? I've been trying to stretch my legs," the older doctor offered weakly, feeling worse and worse about his choice of words.

"Yes… sure," Caroline mumbled.

"I was hoping to have a few words with you, Caroline," the shrink asked, trying to avoid his daughter's face, who was giving him the same treatment.

"Okay," she answered awkwardly.

"Would you mind, Dr. Mikaelson?" Grayson asked, reading Klaus's name on his lab coat.

"Sweetheart?" Klaus asked to Caroline. His eyes had barely left her face since the man had approached them. He knew she was freaking out inside and he feared she would hyperventilate.

"I… you…" she said, without knowing what to do.

"Actually Dr. Forbes, I'd rather stay. I'm the _only family_ Caroline has right now and I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I did," Klaus offered boldly, stressing his words, while he held Caroline's hand, feeling her firm grip on it immediately.

"Okay," Grayson agreed, and another moment passed with no words spoke.

"I honestly don't know where to start, Caroline. What I did to you… it was probably the worst thing a father could do to their child. A parent that abandons their child, regardless of the situation, is the most disgraceful kind of person in the world, and it pains me, and embarrasses me, to know I'm part of the category. Saying I'm sorry seems so wrong, but it's the only thing I can offer to show my regret and pain for the decision I made all those years ago." the older man said, while Caroline looked at her lap, trying to keep her emotions on bay.

"I don't know if you have it in you to forgive me, but if you do, I'd like to get to know you, to see with my own eyes what I've always known in my heart. You're just so beautiful, but I know there's so much more to you than that, and there's nothing I would like more than to have a chance to know what all that is. I'm thankful for having a second chance in life, because I would have died a very bitter, hurt and sad man if I didn't at least try to fix things between us before I left this world," his voice failed him a few times as he swallowed the lump on his throat, his eyes gazing anywhere but Caroline.

"You don't need to say anything now, I don't want to pressure you. I just wanted you to know I love you and I'm willing to start showing it," he said after a few minutes of silence.

Seeing her lack of response, Grayson stood up, nodding to Klaus who had briefly looked at him.

"Thank you," Caroline said quietly before her father turned to leave.

"I hope we can fix this, Caroline, at least some part of it," the psychiatrist said, before walking away.

"It's okay, love, it's okay, I'm here," Klaus said, pushing his chair closer to her, bringing her to rest her head on his chest as she cried quietly.

* * *

It had been hard for Caroline at first, but she was starting to warm up again to the idea of having a family again. Actually, if she was honest with herself, to have a family for the first time in her course she considered her friends her family, and Alaric and Isobel had always been there for her when she was a kid, but she really meant family in the most literal meaning of the word. People she was bound to by blood.

After giving it some thought, and asking Katherine to go with her, Caroline had agreed to have lunch with her father and Elena the following weekend. It had been awkward at first, but by the end of their meal they were in a much better place. Since then, Elena had giving her time, and slowly the girls were becoming closer, as well as with her other siblings. Somehow Caroline found it easier to connect with her brother and sisters rather than with her father. Although she hadn't meet Meredith and Jeremy more than a couple of times in the past month, they kept in touch through social networks. It was amusing to see Jeremy go to great lengths introducing his blond, beautiful and smart sister, Caroline Forbes, to everyone on his Facebook page. It seemed like being a blond was a big deal to the Forbes household, as she had heard all of her three siblings commenting on it at least a handful times. She had met Miranda at another family lunch and just last week she had been alone with her father for the first time since she could remember.

And now that Caroline had less and less things to worry about concerning her family she found her thoughts straying to her roommate more and more. And although she didn't have any idea, Klaus had been thinking about her just as much.

Caroline found herself struggling being so dependent on him, but she couldn't help it. He was always there for her and if felt good to have someone take care of her for a change. But that wasn't the only thing on her mind. It had been a few weeks since her father's accident, and Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and still she was struggling with feelings of jealousy when she regarded her sister's closeness to Klaus. Why should she feel jealous about her sister's relationship with her platonic roommate? Was she becoming selfish? She thought about it some more when she came to the realization that she was thankful it was only she and Klaus in the house. She loved Bonnie and Stefan, but she couldn't imagine her relationship with the Englishman evolving as it had if their fellow residents were still living with them. Most of the time Caroline just tried to brush off those thoughts and focus on other things.

As for Klaus he was tired of struggling with his feelings and so he accepted them. He knew how he felt; he was in love with his roommate and his feelings seemed to only intensify as time passed. She was funny, smart, beautiful, cool, understanding, and non-judgmental. He felt like he could he himself around her. It had been a long while since they shared a bed, his or hers, but she could often be found in his bedroom. She seemed to have developed a passion for watching him paint. And he just couldn't say 'no' to her. Actually, he was just waiting for the perfect moment to ask her to pose for him.

The only other time she had been in his bedroom, other than to watch him paint, had been when yet another nightmare happened. But this time she didn't try to wake him Instead waiting patiently for him to wake himself.

Her heart broke the moment he opened his eyes looking so disoriented, broken and lost. But when he got up and she realized he was going to have a fit of rage, she called to him softly. He looked at her, and she said it would be okay, before cautiously walking towards him. When she realized he was truly conscious she closed the space between them and hugged him. That had been the last time they shared a bed together. And that night it had been her who comforted him. It had also been the first night they shared her bed and not his, as she took him by the hand and guided him to her bedroom.

She had grown used to his careless behavior around almost everyone else. He could be the Original Evil and she would still be there, sometimes giggling. He loved her infectious giggles. It could light not only a room but the entire house. But even when she made it clear that she didn't want to change him, he found himself becoming different when she was around. He was more sensitive and caring. He was happier; less empty, and there was nothing he wanted more than to claim her as his. The question was how to accomplish such a feat? She still cried for Mason at night. Some nights he could even hear her cries for the man in her sleep. He would go to her, comfort her, and then leave. He couldn't bring himself to be stay with her those nights. It was too painful watching her in pain because of another man. The man she still seemed to love even five months after their breakup.

But for everything else, Klaus was there for her. Especially when it came to her new family. Caroline wouldn't have made half the progress she did with the other Forbes if it wasn't for Katherine, but especially Klaus.

"How is it to work with Elena everyday?" Caroline asked Klaus who was walking by her side.

"She's a good doctor. A little dorky, but she'll do well I suppose," he offered with a small and sincere smile.

"Good," she answered, though the small smile he offered bothered her slightly.

"The two of you have a lot in common, in the OR and outside it. She's very focused, has great bedside manners, has an interest in neurosurgery. She has a way of saying things that make things terribly awkward, she blushes every time an attending compliments her and she definitely rambles just like you," he smirked.

"She probably snores too," Caroline chuckled, but his answer made her smile drop in an instant.

"No, she doesn't,"

"I can't believe it. You've slept with her? You're sleeping with her. God Klaus, you could sleep with any women in the world, why her? Why did you have to pick my sister?" she stopped in the middle of the hallway, and turning on her heels, she started in the opposite direction. She didn't know why she was mad. She didn't have a right, and at this point in her relationship with Elena the only rational reason she could give to her behavior was to pretend she was trying to protect her sister. She knew it couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath, before following her.

"Caroline, wait," he said not too loud to avoid a scene, while Caroline paged her interns saying she would meet them at the fourth floor for them to make rounds. She asked them to let Dr. Mikaelson know she would be there.

She entered the elevator, thankful it was there, even as she heard Klaus calling her name. The doors were just about closed when it opened again revealing Klaus. He entered the elevator and as soon as it started to move he pressed the stop button.

"I first met her at the interns' mixer. I didn't have any idea she was your sister. We had a good time and we slept together before her first day at Presbyterian. We kept seeing each other for a week and a half or so. It was her in the car the day before you told me you were leaving New York. It was nothing more than just sex, ever. And I stopped seeing her because of you," he explained, but something inside him flipped, and his next words were heated, "Not that I owe you any explanation because I can sleep with anyone I want,"

"Fine," she practically yelled back, "You're right! Go ahead and just sleep with whoever you want. Now would you mind," she said turning her glare to the elevator doors, "I have work."

He pulled back the button, but the elevator didn't move. He pulled and pushed it over and over again, but nothing. The elevator wasn't budging. _Bloody brilliant_.

"Great," she sighed, while he punched the metal doors with the side of his fist.

Klaus used the emergency phone to call for help and explaining with the bare details what happened. They stood at opposite ends of the elevator, him in front, her in back. They didn't exchange a single word and it killed him.

_Idiot, _he thought of himself._How could you sleep with her?_ But maybe it was for the better. Maybe this thing with Caroline wasn't fair to her. He had, after all, slept with her sister. And while he felt like he was a better man when he was around her, he still knew she deserved better. She already had her share of jerks with Mason.

She was furious with him, although she didn't know why exactly. So what if he had slept with Elena, why should she care? She wasn't his mother, he could sleep with whoever he wanted. And Elena was a sweet girl, she would probably be good for Klaus... but the thought made her blood boil. _Could I seriously be jealous? There was no way. No. She sure wasn't. I mean, look at him, he's the Original Evil, he's an asshole, he's … hot and he can be so sweet sometimes. And he's just been so sweet with me over the past few months, actually he's been nothing but sweet me_. Caroline gnawed on her bottom lip as she stared at him through her eyelashes, observing his taunt figure. Arms crossed over a chiseled chest, lips slightly pouting as we waited for help. How much longer could she deny wanting to have been in Elena's position?

But other more urgent feelings started to occupy her mind leaving any thoughts of Klaus for later. A cold sweat built up the back of her neck. Elevators were pretty small. Yep, just small metal boxes hanging by a piece of rope. That wasn't frightening. Not at all…okay so she was a little claustrophobic and the ten minutes that had passed by felt like an hour. Klaus was ignoring her and while that had been acceptable ten minutes ago, right now she didn't think so anymore. He had a way of calming her down and she wouldn't mind if he tried to do that just now. But she wouldn't go to him.

Klaus was mad. Mad at himself. Mad at her. Mad at Elena. Mad at the bloody elevator, but as he looked around the iron box and saw her he knew with only a glance that she wasn't okay. She seemed uncomfortable, but he couldn't say if it was because of their fight or because of their current situation. Either way he thought she was too proud and stubborn to admit it or ask him to be with her, and he knew it. But who ever said he had to wait for her to ask? He crossed the elevator in her direction and placed his hands against the elevator's wall by her body's side. He was just some inches away from her and he could feel her small gasp of breath on his cheek.

"I told you I'm not that guy, Caroline. I'm not Stefan. You don't get to tell me who I sleep with. It's my business not yours. And for your information I had a great time with her. She's nice and smart, something rare in my group of interns, but we're _just friends_, it's been months since we had sex. I stopped seeing her because of you. So stop your little tantrum. I gave up some very hot sex because of you and I won't do it again," he said, not knowing where his burst came from. He had approached her with the intent to comfort her and here he was defending his actions again. He hated feeling so at odds with himself, but being confronted by Caroline made him lose any rational thought.

Caroline looked annoyed by his speech, but she didn't show any reaction until the elevator abruptly went down. She embraced him by instinct and he wrapped his arms around her body moving one hand to the small of her back and the other to the back of her head. He could feel her heart racing as she took large gasping breaths. She held him as tight as she could. She was scared.

Klaus couldn't help but take in the scent of her hair. He loved it. She always smelled so good and her hair was soft just like her skin. His admiration was cut short when he realized she was gasping stepped back and helped her to sit down. She folded her legs in a yoga position as he sat across from her. He interlaced his fingers with hers

"Look at me, sweetheart," he asked softly."Forget about everything around us. Look at me. Breathe deep and slow," he instructed, breathing himself the way he had commanded. She followed his lead, "Good," he offered, "I'm right here with you, and I won't let anything happen. Trust me. Now continue, deep and slow," he said feeling her grip on his hands becoming stronger when he told her nothing would happen to her. He slowly released his hands and moved to sit by her side wrapping his arm around her shoulder "Keep that pace, sweetheart. I'm not leaving you, love. I'm right here with you," he soothed her, while she nodded her head.

She unfolded her legs and bent her head over his chest while they heard the technicians talking. She was thankful they were already there, although it had been only a little over thirty minutes since they had gotten stuck. There was another bump, leading Caroline to jump. Klaus pulled her over his lap, making her sit between his legs. She leaned against his chest placing her head over his heart, while he continued to sooth her. His left arm wrapped itself around her waist and as his right caressed her hair and face, "Keep breathing slow and deep. You heard them they're almost there."

Not even ten minutes later they felt the elevator moving again, slowly and smoothly, and the doors finally slipped open. He caught her tiny body and stood up holding her in his arms, while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"She had an anxiety attack. I think she might be claustrophobic," he said laying her in a nearby gurney, "I don't think we need to give her any medication. Just let her rest a little bit. I'll talk to the chief and to Dr. Van der Woodsen." Klaus said to a few people that were there waiting for her, Stefan among them.

When he moved to leave she stretched her hand and grabbed his arm. He looked to her face and there was still a bit of fear.

"It's over, you're fine sweetheart," he offered a smile, deciding to take her to one of the exam rooms in the hallway, to give her privacy while she recovered.

"Who were you working with, love?" he asked.

"Your brother," she answered, still feeling her body shaken.

"Stefan, would you please let Elijah know that Caroline is a bit indisposed, but that she'll join him in her rounds later? I'll page Dr. Van der Woodsen," he asked, and Stefan agreed.

"Thanks mate," Klaus offered before turning his attention to Caroline, but before he could say another word, another person entered the examining room.

Mason went straight to the gurney, where she was laying, looking more pale than she was.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching for her hand, while she nodded, "I'm here Caroline," he caressed her face. He knew she had a problem with small spaces and had had problems with it in the past. Mason reached for his stethoscope, hearing her heart, and then taking a sphygmomanometer he checked her BP to ensure she was indeed okay.

Klaus was uncomfortable and burning with jealousy, but he didn't leave. He wouldn't leave her unless she asked him to.

"I'm okay," she offered to Mason, feeling slightly embarrassed because of the people around them and outside the room.

"Just making sure, we don't want what a repeat of last time? You're hypoglycemic and with your blood pressure so low you could pass out," he offered a cute smile that she used to love so much and couldn't help but smile to in return.

"You don't need to, I'm sure you have patients," she offered.

"I want to, and they can wait. I'm sure it'll be only a couple of minutes before you get better," he smiled again, and she nodded.

"Thank you, Mason."

He bent over her and softly brushed her lips, "I love you, Caroline," he whispered, not being able to stop himself. He knew he shouldn't do it, especially because the door behind him was open and everyone outside could see them.

Klaus's heart beat harder in his chest. Mason was kissing Caroline and saying he loved her and she wasn't showing _any_ resistance. She didn't answer back because the kiss was placed softly and quick. All he knew was that it hurt. It was like a knife had been plunged into his chest. He had to leave the room. He had to get out of there to yell and preferably injure his hand while destroying a wall. Anything to distract him from the pain in his heart.

In one swift movement he jumped from the chair and stormed out the room. He didn't know where he was going and he didn't care about the eyes on him. He knew he should look for his attending and his interns, but it would have to wait. He didn't want to make things worse and he was sure if anyone crossed paths with him there wouldn't be any pleasant words leaving his mouth. He wasn't even sure if words would be the only way to show how angry he was.

Klaus left the room so abruptly that he didn't hear Caroline calling him back. She looked at Mason. The warmth of his lips on hers made her heart race. She still loved him, but there was something different. She had thought about kissing him many times during their time apart, but what she felt now couldn't compare to what she used to feel when Mason kissed her in the past.

"Mason. Things have changed. I…. I don't… know… if… I can't… my feelings… I don't know my feelings. I need time…. I need to figure… to figure out what is happening… you left and I had to put together what you broke… I'm not punishing you… things have just changed," she rambled, while tears burned in her eyes. She held them back as best as she could.

"Caroline what happened?" Alaric entered the room, asking before Mason could fit in a response.

"It's nothing Chief. I got stuck in the elevator and I just happen to be slightly claustrophobic, but I'm fine now," she stood up. "I have rounds to make, thank you Dr. Lockwood," she offered before leaving the two men behind her. She knew she would be the target of the hospital's gossip again after Mason's kiss, but she wouldn't think about that now. She had work to do.

Alaric looked at Mason, who hadn't said a thing. The older doctor left, while Mason stayed there with one hand over the empty gurney. For the first time he felt like he could have lost her forever. She said that she didn't know about her feelings, but he could see in her eyes that the fading brightness of her love for him had finally faded completely. She may not have known it yet, but he did. Caroline Forbes didn't love him anymore.

* * *

Caroline had been in surgery with Elijah the whole afternoon, and she was thankful for that. The whispers she heard before lunch were really beginning to irritate her. She didn't want to hear any of it.

She was about to enter the resident's locker room when her sister called her.

"Hi, Caroline. I heard about what happened this morning, but I was in surgery. Are you okay?" Elena asked, sounding concerned about her sister.

"Yes, it was nothing, Klaus was there for me," Caroline answered although she was still mad on him because of Elena.

"He hasn't been himself today, I guess it affected him more than it affected you," Elena offered.

"Yes well, he's just moody. I'm sure it wasn't related to the elevator incident."

"I thought I was used to his mood swings," the brunette confessed, looking down," but today it was just terrible. Worse than I've ever seen him before. He was even angry with me, and normally I'm out of his target rage. I couldn't help but feel like he had a problem with me."

"It'll pass, tomorrow he'll be fine," Caroline offered, but she wanted nothing more than to end the conversation. She felt guilty for being partially responsible for his irritation with Elena. He was taking out his anger on the intern when she really hadn't done anything wrong.

"I really care about him," Elena confessed. Caroline snapped to attention.

"What do you mean?" the blond asked, before she could stop herself.

"We'd gotten together… a few times when I first started here. I hear people say all the time that he doesn't sleep with the same girl twice unless there's something in it for him. But we did. We slept together more than two times and he was always so sweet. I think I fell for him, even though I shouldn't have," Elena confessed, feeling good to finally voice her feelings. She had been repressing them for too long, and she and Caroline were really starting to patch up a friendship. Who better to open up to about Klaus than her sister? Especially since they were roommates.

"Are you in love with him?" Caroline shrieked, and Elena actually asked her to speak lower. It wasn't like she wanted the whole hospital to know.

"Yes," Elena answered, but quickly completed, "I know it's unrequited and that he doesn't do girlfriends, but I can't help it. I tried so hard not to, but Klaus can be _so_ charming," the brunette confessed, looking beaten up about it.

"He doesn't, but maybe it's different with you. You said you guys slept together a few times, so who knows?" Caroline offered, and then excused herself to leave..

She needed to be somewhere Elena wasn't. Her sister was in love with the guy Caroline found herself growing too fond of. Thoughts buzzed through Caroline's head. If Klaus really had ended his fling with Elena because of her, had she denied him his chance at love? To love, and be loved in return? She felt guilty and embarrassed for her behavior earlier that day. But there was nothing she could do about it, except speak with him tomorrow.

* * *

Caroline quickly changed into her street clothes and headed home, but it wasn't the same when he wasn't there.

She felt lonely. She missed him. And she hated eating alone. They always had a great time during dinner. She ordered some Domino's pizza because it was his favorite, although she preferred Pizza Hut, and turned the TV on. But the jokes of her favorite shows seemed boring, and no movie seemed to catch her attention. She moved from the TV room and went back to the kitchen, where she finished her dinner. The house was too big and she felt like she was drowning in it.

Caroline didn't sleep well that night. She twisted and turned in her bed over and over again. She even attempted to sleep in his bedroom, but sleep never came. At least she could take comfort in his painting which hung upon his walls. Eventually, sometime after three in the morning she finally felt her eyelids becoming heavy, and sleep taking over.

Klaus had chosen to cover the first part of the morning shift, and after he was done with his job, he went to one of the on call rooms to sleep. But he found out sleeping was a very difficult task when images of Mason kissing Caroline kept burning his his mind didn't stop there. He was bombarded with images of Mason touching her skin, of a happy Caroline finally making up with the man she was in love with. He nearly destroyed the on call room he was in out of rage, but he moved to another one, not wanting to deal with the consequences of his actions.

He should have never allowed himself to fall in love with her, but the more he thought about it, the more he knew there wasn't anything he could have done to stop it. Knowing he wouldn't get any sleep, he took his sketch book and headed to the Old Man's room, while he drew Caroline in every possible way for the rest of the night.

* * *

Morning came sooner than Caroline wanted. She sighed knowing that she really didn't work properly when she hadn't slept well, but she would suck it up. It was only Wednesday and she had not only today, but three more days, and a night shift until she could recover over the weekend. She went through her morning routine, realizing she was taking much longer than usual to get ready. Maybe it was because Klaus wasn't around to make her breakfast for her. Or maybe it was because he wasn't there to speed them off to work. Fortunately, she still managed to arrive at the hospital early. It was only after putting her things away that she realized she had woken up an entire hour earlier than necessary.

Sighing she went to the Old Man's room hoping to catch a short nap. If she went to one of the on call rooms to sleep in a proper bed she doubted she would be able to wake up and work. But the moment she entered the room, she came face to face with the man that had been haunting her every waking – and sleeping – thoughts.

"Morning, sweetheart," he offered when he realized who it was, but still avoiding any eye contact.

"Hi," she answered quietly sitting in the other chair in the hospital room.

There was an awkward silence between them. Neither knowing what to say or where to start. She wanted to apologize for her behavior the day before and he wanted to know if she and Lockwood were back together, but neither of them said anything and they just sat in silence for several minutes.

"I'm going to change, it's almost time," she offered after they sat there in silence for almost an hour.

"Yeah," he simply said, following her outside.

They entered the residents' locker room to change, their lockers standing side by side, but still no words were spoken between them. Katherine who had been in the corner of the room, reading a medicine magazine realized the odd behavior between the roommates and frowned.

"Is there a problem with you and Original Evil?" Katherine asked, once Klaus left.

"He slept with Elena," Caroline said, although the problem wasn't his past actions, but the fight they had because of it.

"That's what he does. It's his thing. Sleep with every breathing female in the hospital," Katherine shrugged.

"Maybe," Caroline answered vaguely, before also leaving the room without another word.

* * *

Caroline had been surprised to see a text from him during the day informing her he wouldn't be going home that night, and that she shouldn't wait for him at the end of their shifts. She was alone in the house again and it was harder than the night before. It had been the first time she had spent two nights in a row alone since he had moved in.

She arrived earlier once again, and this time she didn't go to their hiding place, but got ready first and waited for Serena in the residents' locker room.

Just when everyone else had arrived, Klaus entered, and went straight to his locker, to collect his things for the day of work.

"Klaus," she called unsure, approaching him. He looked at her waiting,for her to say something, But she merely kept her head low, a somewhat sad look on her face. The picture of it broke his heart.

Caroline sighed heavily, before finally speaking. "I've missed you," she offered weakly. She looked so vulnerable and broken at the moment, that it actually hurt him, but he didn't know how to react. He was sure she and Mason were back together. Did she miss him even when she was back with her boyfriend?

"It sucks being alone at the house," she continued when he didn't say anything. She was trying to make things okay between them, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her.

"I'm sorry for the other day, okay? You were right, I can't have a say in who you sleep with. It was out of my place, and I apologize," she continued, but it seemed like he didn't even process her last words.

"Weren't you with Mason?" he asked frowning.

"No, what? Why? No, I haven't him since that… but, _why_? Where did this come from?" it was her turn to frown at his words.

"Well, he kissed you, I thought… well I didn't want to be a third wheel," he said dejectedly.

"Are you going home tonight?" she asked, almost like pleading.

_She had been alone, jackass,_ he thought to himself. How could he rush to such conclusions? She was probably feeling alone and abandoned by him. He looked at her and moved his fingers to her chin "Sure. I told I would be there for you, didn't I?" she nodded, and hugged him before she could stop herself.

"Take it easy, sweetheart, people might get the wrong idea," he teased.

"Someone once told me not to care about what people said," she said smiled for the first time that day, the smile that would always bring light to his life.

"That's a very smart person," he smirked, and she hit his arm playfully. It was all good in the land of Klaus and Caroline.

* * *

Thanksgiving was coming and it was presenting a challenge to Caroline. Last year she had been the one to work during the holiday's night. This year it was Bonnie among their small group. But that was the thing, their group wasn't small anymore. Stefan and Damon didn't have anyone else but one another. Rose didn't want to go to New Orleans, although it was fairly close, because she had to work on Friday. Damon didn't want to leave her alone, and although she and Caroline had been civil and even friendly towards one another, they were still far from being friends. Serena suggested spending the November holiday with Ryan's family, meaning Rose could come along, but then they would have to spend Christmas with the Lockwoods, as well as New Year's. She'd rather spend one of those dates with Serena and the other with her own family.

Then there were Katherine and Elijah. Katherine hadn't visited her parents in a long time and she wasn't planning to any time soon. Since Elijah's family was across the ocean it left the couple in town. Caroline didn't want to make it uncomfortable for Klaus, but there was no way she wasn't inviting Katherine over, and there was no way Katherine was going to leave Elijah alone on the holiday, even if it wasn't a holiday he was used to celebrating.

But Caroline's problems didn't end there. There was her newly family to consider as well. Jeremy was going to spend the holiday with his fiancée's family, Anna. This left Meredith, Elena, Miranda and Grayson to spend the time together at their house, but they wanted to include Caroline somehow. Elena had made the invitation a week ago, but the blond declined saying there were a lot of strays going to her house and they were her family. The blond thought about inviting the rest of the Forbes to come to her house, but she had yet to make the decision, although she knew she had to do it fast, as the days were approaching rapidly.

If she invited everyone it would be four people coming from her family, three from the Salvatores, if she counted Rose as one of them, two Mikaelsons, in addition to Katherine. Alaric and Isobel always showed up during the holidays, even if they didn't stay for the dinner, so she should be counting on them as well. That made it thirteen people if she counted herself. She did have a very large table inthe dining room that could expand to fit twelve people. That is if the Saltzmans' actually stayed for dinner. It seemed as if the time had come to have some very important conversations to get her official count. Luckily the thought didn't bother her to much, Caroline loved the holidays, this one in particular was her favorite. She thought to herself what she was thankful for and the answer came immediately; her family. That was it. She had to invite everyone.

She would start with the easiest one, and also the one that hadn't yet made it clear that they had nowhere else to go.

"Knock, knock," she said Friday evening, before she headed home.

"My favorite dirty mistress, what an honor," Damon greeted from his desk. He was stuck doing paperwork as Alaric had been very clear to him earlier that he would either keep the department organized or they would ask someone else to it for him. And Alaric didn't mean an assistant.

"Stefan told me you guys are going to stay in New York for Thanksgiving,"

"Yep, the closest family we have is an aunt in Italy, don't think it would be practical," he answered sarcastically.

"I'm going to make a dinner, and I wanted you both to come," she smiled.

"Should I fear food poisoning?" he quipped, while she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to be cooking, someone will, although I'm not sure who that is yet," she offered thinking that Klaus and Katherine weren't the best cooks in the world although the Englishman could do a few things.

"I happen to be a great cook, Forbes," he wriggled his eyebrows.

"Is there anything you don't think you're good at?" she asked chucking.

"I happen to be very good it a lot of things, if I'm being honest," he said sounding serious.

"So can I put your name on the guest list? Are you coming?" she asked revealing a small book she had the names of everyone she was going to invite.

"Actually I sort of had some plans, nothing fancy like dinner at the Forbes' household, but I can't go back with my word now," he offered and now he was really being serious.

"Do those plans happen to include a certain pediatrician?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

"Yes, Rose doesn't have enough time to go to Nola and come back, so she'll stay and I promised I would keep her company,"

"Good thing her name is next on my list," Caroline winked at him.

"Care, you really don't have to. I know that you're somewhat friendly towards her, but I also know you aren't over Mason yet. I don't want it to be painful for you," he said sounding honest and concerned two things that weren't very common coming from Damon Salvatore.

"I have to admit inviting my ex's ex-wife doesn't sound like a good plan, especially when I dated him while they were still legally married, but I want you there, and you want to be there for Rose and I think holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are about peace, compassion, and forgiveness, so why not?" the blond shrugged.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" he asked, touched by his friend's big heart.

"No, I don't want her to think I'm just tolerating her presence. I want her to feel welcomed, so I think I should be the one inviting her. She was in surgery earlier and it seemed like it would be a long one, so I suppose I'll be able to catch her later. I'm on call tonight," Caroline explained, and Damon actually went from his seat to reach her, bringing her into a tight hug.

"You're a very special girl, Caroline Forbes, I'm happy to be part of your big family," he offered, and she nearly cried. She was certainly emotional these days, PMS and all, and Damon of all people saying something like that was enough to make her teary.

"And you, Damon Salvatore, happen to be one of my favorite relatives," she offered with a smile, before kissing his cheek and waving her hand goodbye.

* * *

Next were Katherine and Elijah. She knew she would probably find them both in his office. Elijah, unlike Damon, was an exemplary chief of department, and that included an overview over everything that happened during the week, and some sort of report he had created to help the hospital get a better position in the ranking as best heart surgery department in the country. And now that they were back together, Katherine would just wait for him, and help him if he needed a hand.

"Excuse me," she announced from the open door.

"Dr. Forbes, come on in," Elijah said from desk.

"Hey, Care," Katherine offered, as her best friend sat in the chair by her side.

"I'm here as Caroline, actually," she said to the couple, and Elijah smiled.

"It's a pleasure, Caroline," he offered warmly.

"I'm here just to fulfill a protocol, as I'm sure you were already expecting the invitation," the blond offered, and Katherine smiled. Elijah had been stressing about Thanksgiving for a week now, worried that Klaus and Caroline would object to his presence.

"I suppose it's about the coming holiday?" he asked, his usual formality present.

"That's correct, Mr. Mikaelson, I'm here to formally invite you and Ms. Pierce to celebrate Thanksgiving at my humble abode," she offered, while Katherine burst into laughter beside her.

"It would be a pleasure , Caroline, I'm flattered by the invitation," he offered, although unlike the blond he wasn't being playful with his choice of words.

"What should we bring?" Katherine asked, still recovering from her laughter fit.

"I'll let you know next week. I need to confirm just how many people are actually going. At the moment it's you two, the Salvatore's, and Klaus and I.I still have to talk to Elena and Rose," Caroline offered and they nodded."Well, I'll see if I can still catch Elena. It's already six and it's a Friday, she probably already left, but maybe I'll be lucky," she said standing up.

"Thanks again, Caroline," Elijah offered happily.

"My pleasure, see you two around," the blond offered, kissing Katherine's cheek before leaving.

* * *

"Elena, Elena!" she called as she saw the brunette leaving the hospital.

"Hey, Caroline, how are you?" the intern answered, coming back to where her sister was standing.

"Good, today has been crazy, but I finished my duties forty minutes before the end of shift," the blond offered."So, I was thinking about Thanksgiving and I thought it would be really nice if we could spend it together. I know told you before that my house host to the stragglers and I wanted to invite you guys to come as well. I know Jeremy will be with Anna, but tell him if he wants to stop by before dinner, he'd be more than welcome," Caroline offered, biting her lip nervously. She still didn't know the family too well, having only spoken to her father a few times since his release, and the other family members via social media. The only interaction she had had with Miranda had been at the hospital, and except for the occasional greeting on the internet, she didn't talk much with either Meredith or Jeremy.

"I'll talk to them and let you know. I'd love to go, and I'll e-mail you the answer later today or during the weekend. How does that sound?" Elena offered with a big smile.

"Perfect!" Caroline answered, relaxing.

"What should we bring?"

"I still need to finish the guest list, but I'll let you know by Monday, okay?" the blond offered, and Elena agreed, before they said their goodbyes and left.

Caroline caught up with Rose before the pediatrician left and she could swear Rose was going to cry when she invited her. The hazel-eyed woman was sweet and sensitive.

Now she only had to talk to Klaus, but she would have that conversation over the weekend. She had been delaying talking to him. She knew he would be very uncomfortable about having Elijah around, but Caroline had to invite the heart surgeon, not only for Katherine's sake, but also for the brothers'. She had yet to put her plan into action to reunite them somehow, what with her father's accident and the events that followed. She just couldn't find the time to dedicate herself to her plan, but she would push it off to a start at with Thanksgiving. She just hoped it didn't backfire.

* * *

_AN: I hope you guys enjoyed it! The bottom below can be really useful to let me that (or that you didn't like it)._

_Thanks to my reviewers and my lovely beta, **Erin.**  
_

_Next: Thanksgiving. I cried a little with that part of the chapter, hope you have better reactions than I did ;) But then there's a completely 180 in the chapter's mood and another pair will smooch for the very first time, not only once, but twice, in two different occasions. Place yours bets. Also the rating for this story will finally be justified.__  
_

_Have a nice weekend.  
_

_Babi  
_


	12. Chapter XI

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XI**

* * *

"Are you sure you want me to be a part of this? I wouldn't mind staying in my bedroom," Klaus offered as they entered the house around seven in the evening.

"Yes, Klaus, I'm sure I want you to be part of the dinner, now go take a shower. My family is getting here around eight because Jeremy wanted to stay at least for a little while. Plus, Damon will be here to cook at any minute. And since Elijah is going to help him, I expect him to arrive sooner," she had made sure to inform him about Elijah. She didn't want things to be harder than they needed to be, or more awkward. Klaus knew Elijah was coming, but it would have been mean if she didn't warn him about the time he was arriving.

"Fine, fine, fine," he raised his hands in defeat, before going upstairs.

"Barbie, we're here," Caroline heard a few minutes later, while she was in the kitchen organizing the finger food that she and Klaus had gotten. Alaric and Isobel, as well as Jeremy and Anna, wouldn't have dinner with them, but she wouldn't make them stay without anything to eat.

"In the kitchen," she yelled back, as she saw the two Salvatores and Rose enter the kitchen a moment later.

"Wow, what is all of this?" she asked seeing the many paper bags each doctor had in their arms.

"Most of it is alcohol, you know Damon…" Stefan smirked.

"I brought some dessert," Rose offered, handing a bag that had at least three pies cartoons.

"Thank you, Rose," Caroline said, moving the pies to the fridge.

"Let me properly greet you guys," she said kissing the cheek of each of them.

"Now that you're here, I'm out of the kitchen. I still haven't had time to take a shower and my family will be arriving in less than thirty minutes. Stefan knows where everything is, so just make yourselves at home," she said before leaving to get ready for the night.

* * *

Caroline went shopping with Katherine the previous weekend, much to her amusement and Katherine's relief. The blond loved to shop, and alternated between going with Bonnie and Katherine, who weren't as crazy about it as she was. Not that Caroline needed company for her shopping sprees, if she couldn't coerce her friends to join her, she simply went alone.

She had brought a dress for the occasion and at eight sharp she was leaving her room to wait for her guests. As luck would have it the moment she opened her bedroom door, Klaus stepped outside his.

"You look ravishing, sweetheart," he said as he looked at her. She had her curls nicely done, little makeup, and a beautiful strapped sateen ivory dress. It wasn't very tight, but it embraced her upper body perfectly.

"Thank you, you look quite dashing yourself," she offered looking at him. He had dress shirt and pants on, both black, and a fancy blazer over it. His necklaces showed through the first two opened buttons of his shirt, leading Caroline to smile softly. She loved his necklaces.

"Shall we?" he said offering her his arm, to which she gladly accepted.

The moment they reached the bottom of the staircase her doorbell rang.

"It's probably Elena and her family," she offered, detaching her arm from his to answer the door.

Klaus was left with her enticing scent. She always smelled good, but she was particularly alluring tonight. Caroline felt the same way about his aftershave, or cologne, she wasn't sure. It was manly, woodsy, and fresh. It almost made her lose control as they descended the stairs arm in arm. She wanted to snuggle into his chest and take in his scent better, but of course she stopped herself from the dramatic display.

It was indeed her family, who also came baring a lot of bags of food and beverages that Caroline quickly took to the kitchen with Elena's help. Normally Klaus would have offered to do the physical work, being the gentleman he was, but for selfish reasons he decided to avoid the kitchen at all costs. He would only face his brother when it was absolutely necessary.

Caroline had been surprised by the amount of food, but this was the first time she had ever hosted something like this. She didn't know how much food to ask people to bring, and fearing it wouldn't be enough, she might have asked for a bit too much. Klaus would be ecstatic as they were sure to have leftovers for the entire week, if not longer.

While Caroline brought in the appetizers to the living room, Elena brought out the drinks. Her bright smile showed how much she was really enjoying her night with her relatives and friends, and for a moment it felt like a dream.

Her relationship with Grayson's family wasn't ideal, but they were having a nice time. Caroline and Klaus were sitting on a loveseat, while Grayson, Miranda, Elena, Meredith, Jeremy and Anna occupied the two couches and arm chairs in the living room. The conversation flowed nicely and sometimes they made smaller groups and other times everyone engaged in the same topic.

Klaus had to fight the urge of moving his arm to her shoulder as they had small conversation with her family. There she was; smelling so tempting, trying to cover her nervousness the best she could, while she behaved like the perfect host. She looked absolutely adorable. And sexy in her small dress.

* * *

Some time later Alaric and Isobel arrived, bringing even more food and soon joined the animated conversation in the living room.

By the time Alaric, Isobel, Jeremy and Anna left, the salads and the side dishes were finished. The only thing missing was the turkey that had been in the oven for quite some time already. According to Damon, who wouldn't allow anyone to so much as peek at the bird, the secret was roasting it slowly.

"I'm starving," Caroline offered, and her friends smiled, not wasting the opportunity to say she's always hungry.

"That's because you've barely eaten today," Klaus observed.

"I didn't want to eat the appetizers because then I wouldn't have any room for the main course or the desserts. The pies Rose brought look much too tempting and delicious," she said, making her father chuckle.

"You know me, sweetheart, I'm always ravenous," Klaus smirked.

"Then I think we should just eat, who needs the traditional table all prepared before we can eat? The turkey should be done, start filling up your plates and I'll bring it out." Damon offered as he stood up to double check his assumption. "Yep, it's ready. Why don't you stop trying to impress Caroline's sister and come help me set the table, Stef?" Damon called from the kitchen's door, leaving his brother to blush and apologize to Meredith, while he avoided looking at her parents.

In twenty minutes all the food was on the table and they took their seats according to the nametags Caroline had put out. At first they thought it was odd to have their seats marked in a private and home-y event, but this was Caroline Forbes, she loved planning perfect parties; even it was just a dinner in her house.

Caroline sat at the head of the table with Klaus by her right side. Next to him were Elena, and then Grayson, Miranda and Meredith while Damon sat at the other end of the table. By the plastic surgeon's side was his brother, and then Rose. There was an empty space between the pediatrician and Katherine, and then Elijah by Caroline's left side. Carolina had made sure to keep Klaus somewhat near Elijah.

"Well, I'm thankful for each one of you that came here tonight. It's just been absolutely perfect so far, and I couldn't be happier. So consider yourselves officially invited for Christmas as well," she offered excitedly and the whole table laughed. "I'm sure there will still be leftovers by then, so don't even bother to bring more food," she completed and they smiled with her. "The truth is all of you sitting here with me is what I'm thankful for. You're my family, one way or the other and I'm thankful for having each of you not only here, but in my life. I'm thankful for… for Dad making it after the accident," she said clearly emotional, leading her father and siblings to be teary just like her. It was the first time she had ever called him dad since she was a toddler. "And I'm thankful it's now Klaus' turn," she chuckled, helping her to keep the tears in bay.

"I'm thankful for the food and for Caroline's wonderful idea of finally eating," he started, leading the table to laugh once again. "And for Dr. Damon Salvatore, at least for being the best plastic surgeon in the city, as for the food, I'll find out soon. Although I'm confident it's better than whatever Caroline would have tried," everybody laughed while the man at the other head of the table said he would be even more thankful in a few minutes. "And I'm very thankful for Caroline allowing me to live here, to offer me a shelter when I had been looking for one," he said looking at her tenderly.

"You pay for it, Klaus, you don't need to be thankful," she offered, shyly.

"But I still am, sweetheart," he offered, kissing her hand, making her blush, and for some reason, avoid looking at her father at the moment. Though she didn't miss the concerned look by Grayson. He actually looked tenderly at the two roommates. He felt better knowing Caroline had someone to take care of her now that she lost Liz.

"I'm also thankful for my father's recovery and for being here tonight, with my sister. This is a dream come true to my family," Elena offered then, leading some of the people to be touched again.

Miranda thanked for her family as well, especially Grayson's life, and also Caroline for inviting them.

"I'm thankful for finally being close to my daughter. The past twenty-four years of my life have been the best because of my wife and younger kids, but it's also been a torture because I didn't have the apple of my eye with me. Caroline, you were my first daughter. There's no emotion that could compare to the first time I saw you, and you cried in my arms. I love you and no matter how many times I apologize for being absent, being here today makes up for all I've lost and I hope someday I can make it up to you as well," he said, wiping his tears.

"Thank you, Dad," she said also teary.

Meredith, Damon and Stefan also had lighthearted things to thank and rounds of laughter followed, especially as Damon thanked God for making him such an amazing man, who even knew how to cook a perfect Thanksgiving dinner.

"I'm thankful for Caroline showing so much compassion not only to me, but to every person at this table. I'm thankful for meeting such a great woman, even under terrible circumstances. I feel blessed," Rose offered, and Caroline was barely holding her tears back.

"Well I'm thankful this thankful thing is already ending, so we can eat and stop behaving like we're all bipolar who laugh until they cry and then try to avoid crying until they laugh. I'm thankful for my boyfriend, my job, my friends, and my family sitting here at this table. Some of you are very important to me, actually the only important people to me," Katherine offered before Damon said she was making them laugh and cry more than anyone before her. If they were bipolar, she was their queen.

Elijah took a deep breath, looking at his brother sitting across him, but Klaus was looking at his plate, playing with the fork near it.

"I'm thankful for so many things, but I guess the first one is being here. I don't often celebrate this holiday, as it isn't common in England," he said in all his seriousness, although there was a smile adorning his beautiful face. "But I think today is the night I might be more thankful for as long as I can remember. And that is because after a very long time I'm finally around my brother again," Elijah said looking at Klaus who looked up surprised by Elijah's words. "Using some of the words some of you already did, it's a blessing, an honor, a gift to sit with Niklaus on a night like this. And I'm thankful for knowing he's become a fine man, and is on his way to become a great doctor, but especially for being surrounded by people who care so much about him. He deserves no less than that," he offered, his eyes teary although he didn't allow the tears to fall.

"There are objections about the fine part," Katherine offered to avoid her own tears.

Caroline found herself unable to contain her tears any longer. Not trying to be the least bit discreet about it, she reached for Klaus' hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I guess we can finally eat," Damon offered, ending the tender moment, but those simple words said by the oldest Mikaelson would have been enough to change Klaus and Elijah forever.

* * *

Things had changed since Thanksgiving, but Caroline couldn't pinpoint exactly what or how. Klaus seemed to be lighter, and although he hadn't talked to Elijah yet, as far as she could say, she knew he had been surprised by his older brother's words. She would give him a little more time, and with Christmas coming, maybe he would finally make a move in reconciling with his brother.

"Seriously, she just did it?" the girl asked, while she giggled snatching a handful of the popcorn between her and Klaus as they sat together on the sofa. It was a lazy Sunday night and they were enjoying one of their favorite shows.

"I mean she really doesn't remember anything," he said smirking.

"I love this show," she said, taking some popcorn.

"I have to agree it's funny, I would never have thought," he admitted, and she winked.

"Too bad it's only thirty minutes long and now there's nothing interesting to watch for another two hours," she complained as they watched the credits show on the screen.

"We could watch a movie, what do you think?" he asked, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to invite her out. They had had lunch and dinner together many times before, and although for some people it could be considered a date, for roommates it was just having their daily meals in a practical way.

"Well I guess. We have already re-watched all of my DVD's," she shrugged, as she logged into her Netflix account, "Let's see if there's something on here,"

"Or maybe we could go to the movies, I've heard there are some good ones out," he offered, leading her to stop her research.

"You mean as in a theater?" she asked.

"Well I guess that's where people go when they want to go to watch the newest movies," he quipped, while hiding his beautiful smile behind a can of soda.

"What do you want to watch?" she sounded excited. She couldn't even remember the last time she went to the movies.

"I don't know. A comedy? There's no way I'm watching a romantic movie with you, sweetheart," he said, although he truly wouldn't mind it all. He was sure whatever movie they watched his attention wouldn't be on the screen.

"Great, we'll find something," she clapped her hands together, standing up. "There's always RomCom…"

"Are you taking me to watch a girly movie?" he asked

"I think it would be nice. It's been ages since I went to the movies. It'll be fun," she completely ignored his comment, checking on her phone what was out in the theaters.

"Choose it and I'll buy the tickets online while you take a shower," he suggested, while she showed him what he was sure was the corniest movie ever made, but he wasn't going to be picky about it. He just wanted to take her out for something else that didn't include food. Whatever she wanted he would agree to.

"I'm not going to shower, it's not like we're going out on a date," she offered casually, but as she said the words she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Did she want it to be a date?

Klaus felt disappointed. She had made herself clear they wouldn't have sex, and now it was clear to him that she saw him as a friend. But he couldn't deny his feelings, he was in love with her, and while he wasn't sure if he should make a move or not, he wanted to. But he could only take so much rejection. It was starting to hurt. Being so close to her and not having her in his arms was painful, but anything was better than ruining their friendship because of his advances.

"Well I'll take a shower, just because I'm out with my roommate doesn't mean I have to look like a homeless person," he smirked, charming it up with a wink.

"Do I look like a homeless person?" she suddenly felt self-conscious, running one of her hands on her messy hair. They had stayed home the entire day in their sweats, but she thought if she changed into clean clothes she would be decent enough to go to the movies.

"Sort of," he chuckled, and she actually looked down at her body. She had pink sweat pants that actually had a hole or two near the waist, with some old college shirt on. Its collar was already twice as big as it had been back in the day and a flannel shirt over that, which had long since lost its colors.

"You don't say things like that to a woman Klaus," she whined playfully, realizing her combination of clothes was indeed terrible. At least she was planning on changing them.

"Even looking like a beggar you're beautiful, sweetheart. You have a natural beauty. Even if you have food in your hair," he smiled, removing the popcorn from her hair. Their eyes locked for a moment, but they didn't do anything about it, until Caroline finally looked away.

"Well, I guess I'll take a shower then, I have some girls to make jealous in the theater," she winked, as she stood up and he wondered what she meant by that.

* * *

Almost an hour later they were both entering into his car. He had almost an hour to spare, and with the ride to the theater taking only twenty minutes, they still had plenty of time to wait before they were allowed to enter the room, despite the long lines.

"I think that redhead is looking at you," Caroline pointed out a girl from another line.

"She looks nice," Klaus barely appraised the girl. What was he supposed to say?

"She does. Maybe you should go there," she suggested, though she had no idea why she did it. Actually the glances the girl was shamelessly throwing at Klaus were bothering Caroline.

"And what about you?" Klaus asked, although he wasn't considering leaving her and he would let her know it.

"I like to watch moves all by myself. At least I'm not distracted by anyone," she shrugged.

"Is that your subtle plan of getting rid of me, sweetheart?" he teased, faking being hurt.

"No, I'm just saying you can go to the girl. She's literally devouring you with her eyes," Caroline offered as she rolled her blue eyes.

"You're my date. I'm not ditching you because of some girl," he tried to sound casual about it, but he wasn't sure if he had been able to.

"I'm honored, although I have to correct you- I'm not your date. I don't mind if you go find someone else." she said and once again she wanted to slap herself. Why was she encouraging him to go after that other girl?

"You know what I mean, love. I came here with you to watch a movie and have fun. If I wanted to find a girl for the night I wouldn't have picked a movie theater. I'm not a teenager," he said, finally bringing up the courage to wrap his arm around her shoulder. Klaus had never been shy around girls, quite the opposite. He was an expert in flirting and getting a girl in his bed, but there was a lot at stake with Caroline and he found himself lost about what to do.

"She'll be disappointed," Caroline glared at the woman across them with a victorious smile, showing the redhead the handsome blond already had company for the night.

"Forget about her. Do you want any candy or something else?" he asked.

"You know me… I can never get enough popcorn. I think I want some soda also and maybe some chocolate," she looked away from the girl, who had already looked away from them, being intimidated by Caroline's stares.

"Right then, I'll take care of it," he said, and for some reason, kissed her hair before leaving.

Caroline frowned looking at his body disappearing among the many people. Did he catch her power and possession game with the girl? Was he helping her? She quickly dismissed those thoughts. This was just Klaus being Klaus; always the charmer.

* * *

Ten minutes later he was back with an extra butter, extra large popcorn, a couple of sodas, and a Kit Kat bar, her favorite. But as he approached Caroline in the line, he realized there was a quite good looking guy talking to her. He felt his blood boil as the guy kept staring at her body and lips, while they talked.

"Here," Klaus said to Caroline, completely ignoring the guy.

"You didn't say you were with someone else, beautiful," the tall man offered, and Klaus wanted to punch him in the face. Beautiful? Really?

"This is my friend Klaus, this is Joe," she introduced them, thankful for Klaus' return. The man was good looking, and she was okay when he approached her just after Klaus left, but it didn't take thirty seconds into speaking with him to realize what an arrogant creep he was. Couldn't he go five seconds without staring at her breasts?

"What's up man," Joe said.

Klaus just nodded to the guy and turned to Caroline, his eyes narrowed.

"Well, here is your popcorn, soda, and your chocolate," he handed her the goods, and Caroline frowned watching him turn to leave, a slight pout on his face.

"Klaus!" she called to him. "You can't expect me to eat all this popcorn by myself. An extra large, really?" she tried to subtly tilt her head at Joe and simultaneous frowning slightly.

"Well in that case, I'm sure Joe can help you," Klaus offered sarcastically, while he glared pointedly at Joe.

"Klaus, come back here," she said in a burst of anger. Maybe her facial expressions hadn't been good enough for him to read exactly what she was trying to convey: rescue me!

"What?" he asked.

"You know, you look kind of cute when you're jealous, except for the whole walking away thing," she said caressing his cheek. Klaus felt his skin burning, not only because of her touch, but because she had caught him in his actions.

"I'm not jealous. I just said you and your friend Joe can share this popcorn," Klaus leveling the man with an intense stare.

"Thanks, man," Joe said, moving one of his hands to Caroline's waist, who tried to wriggle her way out of it, but just couldn't. The guy was big. Klaus' fists clenched together painfully at the sight. He was doing his best to ignore the way the man hit on Caroline, but he felt like he would punch him at any moment.

Caroline couldn't help but feel completely uncomfortable. She wasn't interested at all; couldn't either of the men see that? And she didn't want to cause a scene in the movies' line. That was ridiculous. If only Klaus wasn't so oblivious to her signs.

"I'm glad you chose this shirt, it's one of my favorites, and it really shows off your muscles." Caroline turned to Klaus, using one of her hands to push Joe away and get rid of his hand on her.

"I had no idea, sweetheart," Klaus answered confused by her actions, but also relieved that she had broke the side embrace from Joe.

"I mean this must be why that girl was staring you down earlier. You really do look good enough to eat," Caroline bit her lips seductively, and Klaus widened his eyes slightly. What was she up to?

Joe seemed the more oblivious of the two, and started talking with them again, moving his arm to wrap around Caroline's shoulder. She couldn't believe the two men by her side were so clueless. Wasn't she making it clear she didn't want Joe to be around them?

They were almost inside the theater when she realized she would have to be bolder to get rid of the cocky man. She asked him to hold her popcorn and soda for a moment before she turned to Klaus. Naturally, as if she was used to doing it every day, she slipped her hand around the back of his neck, and brought him down close enough to kiss. Her lips were soft and gentle, coaxing his own into response after Klaus stood still in shock. Finally realizing what was going on, he unconsciously moved his hand to her waist and responded to the kiss, lost in the taste of her lips. The warmth of her lips on his made him shiver.

Caroline didn't want to give Joe any explanation so she just prolonged the kiss hoping the man would finally take a hint. After a couple more minutes she slowly pulled herself away from Klaus looking anywhere but at his face. She didn't know how he would react. She hoped it wouldn't make things awkward between them so she just bit her lower lip and waited for his reaction.

"I guess we're out of popcorn now," he casually offered, moving his arm to her shoulder.

"I guess we are," she said relieved.

"Do you want me to buy you more?" he asked, seeing she was somewhat uncomfortable.

"Yes," she answered quickly.

"Save me a seat," he asked, before walking away.

_What did you just do Caroline?_ She asked herself. Joe was an idiot, but why did she have to go and kiss Klaus? Why couldn't she have just asked the guy to go away and say she wasn't interested? She was praying the kiss wouldn't change anything between them. They were good friends and she didn't want to risk their friendship for anything. _Do I say anything about it? Do I bring the subject up? Do I apologize? Do I thank him?_ She thought, but her subconscious kept bringing back the kiss to her mind.

On his way to the concession stand all Klaus could think about was the taste of her lips lingering on his. There was a smile on his face that just wouldn't go away and he was thankful for the man he just wanted to punch some minutes ago. She was a good kisser, a glorious kisser even. Unconsciously he moved his fingers to his mouth and smiled even wider. That was their first kiss, and even if he knew she only meant to get rid of Joe, maybe it would be the beginning of something.

When he was back almost everyone had already entered the room. He tried to find Caroline, but the only familiar face he saw was Joe offering the popcorn to the redhead that was checking him out earlier. He rolled his eyes, and tried to find Caroline who was waving at him like a crazy from the last row of seats. He finally saw her, and sat by her side just when the trailers started to play.

"Thank you," she said getting the popcorn from him, along with her soda, and yet another bar of Kit Kats.

"Your friend is just giving your popcorn to the redhead from before." Klaus smirked.

"What an idiot. I mean I was openly flirting with you, but he didn't seem to understand. Actually neither of you did," she rolled her eyes.

"Oh I realized just fine how you were shamelessly flirting with me, sweetheart," he smirked, taking the moment to move his arm to her shoulders again. She didn't seem to mind him, so he was just going to continue his advances.

"No, I wasn't," she contradicted her last words.

"Yes, you were. But that's okay, I do look great it this shirt, can't blame you," he brought his face close to hers, whispering in her hair.

"You're so full of yourself," she answered weakly as his hotbreath left a trail of goose bumps in her body.

He smirked at her, moving his body back to his seat, and sipping his soda, before moving his attention to the trailers.

"No more distractions, I want to watch the movie," she offered weakly, trying to move her attention to anything that didn't include her kissing him again.

* * *

"I can't believe you're crying, love," he chuckled as they walked out of the room.

"It's cute," she wiped a couple of tears, "They fought all the time, but they loved each other," she completed.

"It's stupid. You know this is always how these movies end," he reasoned, not really understanding why people paid to watch so predictable and — quite frankly — stupid movies.

"You'll never understand."

"Hopefully I won't," he smirked, and she actually slapped his arm.

They talked – more like Caroline talked – about some scenes from the movie on their ride home, until somehow the subject changed to Joe.

"When I saw you coming back I honestly thought you were an angel coming to save me from hell. Although I don't know who was more clueless to my signs, you or Joe," she said, as they pulled into the driveway.

"What if it was all a part of my secret plan to finally let you do what you've been dreaming of since you laid eyes on this perfect body?" Klaus quipped as they hopped out of the car.

"In your dreams," she rolled her eyes.

"You may have been kissed before, but just today you got the pleasure to be kissed by Klaus Mikaelson. It changes the definition of kiss," he said, from behind her.

She turned around, slapping his arm, "Klaus! Shut up!"

"Are you saying it was bad?" he challenged.

"No, it wasn't" she answered, feeling stupid for confessing it.

"Admit it sweetheart, it was the best kiss you've ever had," he closed the gap between them, whispering into her hair.

"You aren't that bad," she shrugged, trying to cover the way her body reacted to his closeness. Hopefully he didn't catch her shivering, although she was sure her heartbeat was probably loud enough for her neighbors to hear.

"I bet it was your best," he said, opening the front door.

"So just tell me how much we're betting because this will be the easiest money I've ever made," she quipped.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I've had plenty of better kisses," she followed him inside.

"Have you now sweetheart?" Klaus asked with an edge to his tone as he boldly walked in front of her. Caroline gasped a little as he leaned into her, his arm snacking around her waist, and his cool blue eyes never wavering from her face.

"So tell me, was it better than this," he moved in swiftly kissing her passionately. He pulled her close to him, slipping one hand into her silky hair and moving the other to the small of her back.

Caroline responded immediately to his kiss, cupping his head in her hands. His tongue asked for entrance gliding across her slightly parted lips and she didn't waste any time before opening them to allow him entry. The kiss deepened, his tongue pursuing hers in a hot and delicious dance. When a soft moan escaped her throat, he pulled her even closer making her feel his arousal against her stomach. It wasn't until then that _he_ realized just how hard he was, and immediately broke the contact between them. She stood in his arms like some kind of angel; lips redden and split to exhale small bouts of breath. Eyes remaining closed.

"Sweet dreams, love," he whispered, before turning around and leaving her speechless in the living room.

* * *

"Klaus," she said softly, as she entered his bedroom, "Are you awake?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, sweetheart, what happened?" he asked sitting on the bed and turning the lamp on his nightstand on.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, moving to 'her' side of the bed.

"Is there anything wrong?" he asked.

"Yes," she admitted, looking everywhere but at his face.

"What is it, love?"

"I…I,"

"Caroline, look at me, sweetheart, tell me what's going on so I can help you," he reached for her hand, holding it between his own.

"I want you," she blurted, and for a moment he was too shocked to react. "Oh God! I'm sorry, I knew this was a mistake," she said a moment later, a hand slapping over her mouth as he looked at her speechlessly. She moved to stand up to leave, but before she even had a chance his hands found her waist and he held her still.

"Would you like to elaborate a little bit more on that?" he asked, looking dead-serious.

"This was a mistake, can't you just pretend like I was never here?" she whined trying to keep her emotions from stirring too much. She could feel the heat of embarrassment at his obvious rejection flooding her face.

"Caroline," he whispered her name, leading her to close her eyes. His hoarse voice, his heavy accent, was like a caress through her body.

"Klaus," she said a moment later, her eyes still closed as she felt his firm grip on her waist.

"One word, love. One word and I could give you whatever you want," his voice was still low, as he brought his body closer to hers.

Caroline took a deep breath. It was now or never. He was giving her an out; she could take it and pretend like none of this had ever happened. But could she really do that? How was she going to pretend that her body didn't answer to his kiss effortlessly? She had no doubt just then that she was attracted to him. What was the point in continuing to denying it?

"Take me," she asked, moving one of her hands to his chest.

Klaus felt his breath becoming ragged the moment the words left her mouth. He was mesmerized by her beauty as she stood in front of him, wearing a black robe and maybe only that. He just had to find out what was underneath the silky fabric. Moving his hand from her waist, he reached the robe's collar, sliding it aside and showing her perfect, perky breast tipped with a dusty rose colored peak. The moment he saw her exposed skin he stood along with her, hustling her back until she collided with the wall behind her. Never breaking eye contact he shut the door to his left shut with snap.

His hands couldn't be kept then, slipping down until he met with the small knot keeping her attire together; but his hand didn't pull the thread. Instead his inquisitive hand kept moving south, until he reached the hem of her robe that barely reached midthigh. His eyes were heavy hooded as he gazed at her with complete lust. She couldn't look away. Not as his hands continued to work their way down her body. It was driving her mad, every touch felt electric and she itched to tear away the robe. Unconsciously Caroline arched her body forward into his hands, anticipating his fingers as the inched closer to her aching core. She was completely soaking wet.

Klaus finally moved his hand between her parted thighs and let out an inhumane growl when he found no barrier to her paradise. Caroline moaned in relief, grinding herself against his touch. The moment of her reaction, when he felt her body press fully against his, he lost it.

He cupped her face with his remaining hand, leaning in to close the space between their lips; but never did they meet. He was lost in the feeling of her heat. He felt his cock tighten at the mere sensation and tentatively tried to kiss her again. Once more their lips did not meet, but their heady breathing mingled intimately together. Swiftly he moved his other hand to her thigh, urging her upwards. She moved eagerly under his guidance, raising her body while he moved to press her completely against the wall. Caroline's legs immediately wrapped themselves around his waist and their lips finally met.

All reverie was replaced by pure frenzy. The moment his lips claimed hers he knew it. All the unanswered questions came easily to his mind. There were no questions; the feeling of loss had vanished and he found himself never being so peaceful. The kiss was hot and heated. It only took a moment, a bite to her bottom lip to be exact, and Caroline was already moaning loudly.

Her arms had moved to the back of his neck and she held onto him for dear life. She never wanted to let go and Klaus felt as if heaven had graced him with an angel. All those months of having to stuff down his feeling for her had only ever grown, and right now it was exploding. He knew he could never bury those feelings inside him again.

Caroline didn't know how to stop. She didn't _want_ to stop. She was fully aware that they were only friends who shared a roof, and that bringing sex into the mix would only complicate their lives. But she needed this more than she needed answers. She knew she needed to face her true feelings, the ones she had been avoiding all along. But she had never felt more alive. She could feel- everything. She could feel the passion invading her body and taking control. It was positively palpable. And she could swear her heart was beating harder than she ever thought possible. All of these emotions seemed to carry her away to a dimension where it was only her and Klaus.

Nothing else mattered in this alternate universe.

Caroline had never been kissed like this in her entire life. It was intense and sensual, but there was something else that made it an overwhelming experience. It held so many feelings, and while desperation was the first she noticed, it didn't take more than a few seconds for her to feel more than that. There was passion, desire, need, but it was also merged with vulnerability, fear and desperate acceptance. She couldn't even understand how she had been able to catch all those emotions, but they were there, as clear as the stars outside.

And her body answered to each of those emotions. Her hands rubbing violently across his scalp, tugging the curly mess with rapture. Klaus seemed to consume her, pulling her against him like a man starved with no room left in between. They moaned in unison, always in synch, as their bodies touched in a way they never had before. He could feel her firm ass under his touch and how her heart accelerated at every nip and thrust. She felt his growing arousal against her stomach. No words were exchanged in the brief stops for the pursuit of air. Only the non-intelligible murmurs of their feelings and emotions as they finally found themselves in one another's arms. The dance of their tongues was sensual and exquisite. Caroline felt the air vanishing from her lungs and her breathing becoming even heavier, but she couldn't stop it.

She fought desperately to keep her emotions detached from the moment and Klaus, but there was no use stopping her body. She didn't have the same strength to fight the intense physical contact between them. She knew the time would come when they would look back at this moment and realize their error, but she hoped for a miracle to avoid it at all costs. Klaus had lived with Bonnie in the same house for a few weeks after he slept with her, and it wasn't that awkward. Maybe they would be able to just go back to what they were before, although a small voice in her head said they wouldn't. There was only so much a woman could resist when a man like Klaus wanted to kiss them in this kind of way. She didn't want to pass up the opportunity to finally be in his arms like that. She allowed her heart to guide her through not the right option, but the only one that felt right. Her body couldn't lie; her body couldn't pretend how it felt under Klaus's touch. She could feel her arousal reaching levels that had her skin crawling that let out an animal instinct inside. This was certainly a new experience; no one had ever made her feel this way before.

She knew in that moment what she needed to do. She would take a risk. Or in this case, Klaus, in his bed. But their bodies were still glued to the wall, Klaus thrusting against her body in a torturous persistent grind that left her mewling in desperation.

Klaus needed more. He didn't want to take her against the wall, even if she wasn't showing any resistance. All he aspired to was to make this night unforgettable.

He could feel the grip of her legs around him increase and it only made his arousal more evident. Quickly he moved her body to the desk a few feet away from them. The moment he felt her weight transferred onto the wooden surface his hands moved from her the curve of her ass to the back of her head, pulling her in to a dominating kiss. With a groan he nipped at her neck in abandon. How did she expect him to do anything with her hips moving like that? With a growl he ground his hips against hers in retaliation. Caroline's hands found balance on the surface below her, doing her best to prop herself up to a better advantage. It was hardly enough. It still felt like they weren't close enough. Her foot reached the column in the wall to allow her body to meet his thrusts. He was still fully dressed in a wife beater and sweat pants, but it still didn't stop their bodies from exploding in desire. His hands ran up her thighs, dancing across her silky skin. Caroline could feel his bulge against her center, his sweatpants against her wet flesh. The way she rocked her body against his, and the moans of pleasure made his body react in a way that felt like he was already inside her, and that alone was crazy and something new to him. Their moans echoed across the room, and as she reached to impatiently tug down his offending pants the unexpected happen.

He was suddenly gone.

* * *

_AN: Happy belated Thanksgiving lovelies! (for those who celebrate it).  
_

_So here is one of my favorite chapters for obvious reasons. I do hope you pretend it's Christmas instead of Thanksgiving and give me some gifts also known as reviews ;)  
_

_I want to thank everyone who followed this story, added it to their favorites and reviewed last chapter. And also **Erin**, who is such a wonderful beta.  
_

_Next: Things get out of hand, one of the doctors is admitted at the hospital as a patient. But at least it brings out something positive at the end of the day. Make your bets! Also there's a Klaus/Elijah moment I loved to write!  
_

_Love,  
_

_Babi  
_


	13. Chapter XII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

** Chapter XII **

* * *

Caroline was confused. Where was Klaus? Why was she back in her bedroom? She looked around, and finally realized that although the last memories in her mind couldn't have been more vivid, they were just a dream. She groaned, as she felt her center wet with desire for the man sleeping next door. She should have known it was a dream from the moment she realized she wasn't only seeing her feelings, but his as well. It was like a story written in both protagonists point of view. Her mind was definitely creative, not only with the hot images it produced, but also about the feelings their dream selves had.

She was still lingering about her dream when her alarm went off. Dawn already? She should start getting ready for work. She felt slower than usual and when she finally entered the kitchen Klaus was already finishing his breakfast.

"I was about to come get you," he said as she went straight to the fridge to get the orange juice.

"Thanks for breakfast," she said, looking at the plate with eggs and bacon, his favorite, although she grew to like it as well.

"Good dreams?" he smirked, and for a moment she thought he could read her mind. But she knew that was impossible, and he was only teasing. Things like mind control and reading were make believe, like vampires and such.

"More like hot ones," she answered honestly, although that was the only information she was willing to reveal.

"And what did we do in these hot dreams of yours?" he kept his smirk in check, although he was pleased to know he had affected her enough to influence her dreams.

"Who said it was with you?" Klaus raised an eyebrow. "It's not fair, Klaus. You can't just go around kissing people like that. You had me dreaming all night. Dreaming about some very inappropriate things, with the wrong person and it actually hurts knowing I can't have it," she sighed, feeling like her skin was being burned. Did he really have to wear one of his Henley's – although he didn't seem to own anything else – and one that was too tight for her taste. She wanted to feel him just as she had felt in her dream, but she knew better than her fantasy alter ego. She wouldn't risk their friendship because she was horny and needy. Even if he was unbelievably tempting.

Klaus was disappointed, but he didn't let it show. There was only one person he could think of that would make an erotic dream hurtful, and that was her ex-boyfriend. He, of all people, knew the nights she cried for Mason.

"So, from now on, no more kisses," she smiled, and he wondered if he was right in his assumptions.

"Unless you admit that was the best kiss you had," he decided to lighten the air.

"Damon was better, much better," she retorted to his arrogant comments.

"You say it because you want me to kiss you again. You just want me to prove to you over and over again that I'm the best kiss you ever had. Be careful, sweetheart, if I kiss you again you may find out others things that I'm the best at too," he winked at her before sipping his drink.

"Cocky," she answered.

"Entitled to be," he said with a lot of innuendo, leading her to blush.

"What? Is Caroline Forbes blushing at the mere implication of sex?" he laughed, showing his cute dimples.

"Shut up," she said throwing a cloth on him.

"Now tell me, sweetheart, who kissed you better than I did? I was there when Damon did it. And I can say with confidence, from what I saw, I'm much better" his voice had become hoarser and she felt light shivers dance across her body.

"We are so not going there. And as such, I'm not telling anything, Klaus. Besides we should really leave, we're already late," she answered quickly, rushing from her seat.

"Scared are you, sweetheart? You're only running away from your desires, and it's useless to run." He offered in a sing song voice.

"I'm going to work. You and your big ego can stay here for all I care." She said walking to the living room.

"If you answer me, then I'll leave you in peace," he offered, catching up with her in a few quick strides as she unlocked the front door. He loved to rile her up.

"Fine, Klaus, whatever," she stopped in front of the passenger's door, waiting for him to unlock his car.

"It was, wasn't it?" he asked again, unlocking the doors.

"If that's what it takes for you to never mention it again, then YES, it was the best kiss I ever had. By far, okay?" she answered frustrated, entering the car, meeting him inside.

"You know you mean it, sweetheart," he smirked before turning the engine on.

"I need to go to the bank today," she changed the subject.

"I'll go with you I need to get some cash,"

"The check came last week and I forgot to deposit it," she explained. They normally went to the bank together when she had to make the deposit, every month, so she wasn't surprised he was tagging along.

"We can go after lunch," he suggested.

"Perfect," she said, happy to have successfully changed the subject from his very hot, sensual kisses. Probably the best she ever had, but she would never let him know she meant it.

* * *

They didn't have time to go to the bank during lunch, and decided to go between their day shift and night shift. They didn't even change out of their scrubs.

There were a couple of people inside when they entered, along with two other men, to who Caroline held the door open for. She went to a teller while Klaus went to the other to conduct separate business.

"I'm going to take some money out as well," she said, and he nodded, waiting for her to finish. She was just putting the money away in her wallet when one of the men that entered with them moved to the door, blocking it.

"Nobody move!" one of the men yelled, "If you do exactly what we say nobody will get hurt," he explained.

Klaus immediately moved Caroline's body to stand behind his, while one of the men approached a man in a suit that was using one of the cash dispensers. Another man trailed after him approaching Klaus, Caroline with a gun pointed in their direction.

"Now you," the thief released the man, and pointed to Caroline.

"It's okay, love, just do as he says," Klaus whispered while she walked towards where the thief was waiting for her. The moment she had handed over her cash his pager went off and the familiar beeping sounding ten times louder than usual. Knowing that the thief was alert to the sound, Klaus moved his hand slowly to turn it off.

"What are you doing?" the man approached him, pushing him back harshly.

"I'm just turning it off," Klaus said, showing the small device to the man. But the criminal with his fully dilated eyes took the movement as a threat. It was no question that he was high on drugs, which didn't help Klaus in any way.

"Klaus," Caroline yelled with horror in her eyes when she heard the loud sharp crack of gun fire.

She was crying instantly as she saw Klaus jerk back with the force of the bullet and fall to the floor.

"Fuck! What the fuck man!" The other thief knew this had not been part of the plan. They were both suddenly scared out of their minds, and the more sober thief yelled to the other to leave before the police arrived.

Caroline ran to Klaus' side dropping down to her knees. He was bleeding from the stomach, and as she carefully moved her hand under his back she knew the bullet was still in his body. One of the men approached as well, unsure of what to do to help

"Call 911," she ordered, taking her coat off and using it to stop the bleeding.

"It's going to be okay, you'll be okay," she said raising his head to rest on her lap.

"Sweetheart," he whispered.

"I'm right here. The ambulance will be here soon, you'll be fine," she said, her voice shaking with her tears.

"Caroline, I'm in lo…" he started saying, but before he could complete his words, she let her lips find his. He answered it immediately, kissing her softly on the lips. She was crouched over him awkwardly while her tears wetted their lips, but she soon realized his lips had stopped their delicate movements against her own. He was already unconscious, and pressing down on the make shift compression harder she cried out in anguish.

The ambulance was there a few minutes later and they quickly moved Klaus to a stretcher. Caroline ran after the paramedics and demanded to go with them in the ambulance.

"We're doctors, we work at the Presbyterian as well," she explained, showing her badge and shivering as the cold wind easily reached her in only her scrubs.

"Page Dr. Saltzman," she ordered to one of her own interns as soon as they had arrived and made their way into the ER, "NOW!" she yelled.

Isobel quickly joined them, and she was shocked to see Klaus lying unconscious in the stretcher.

"Back off, Forbes," she said, "I'll take it from here," Isobel watched as a distressed Caroline removing Klaus' clothes.

Caroline took her coat, along with his jacket, both soaked with his blood and looked at his motionless body on the gurney. She didn't care that she was cold, or that she was getting herself soaked with his blood, she just held the two pieces of clothes against her body, feeling his scent through the strong smell of blood. There wasn't anything more she could do as she watched them take him away.

She was devastated by the pain. She couldn't be there while they were operating on him, but some minutes later she finally came down from her shock and went to the board to find out where they were operating him. The bullet was inside him, there was no way they wouldn't have to operate on him. She arrived there just as someone finished writing his name under OR umber one's column. Caroline wasted no time going to the gallery. He was helped quickly and he would make it, she tried to think rationally – or hopefully – but it wasn't enough to still her heart.

Their friends weren't at the hospital anymore, but still she texted Damon and Katherine. She needed someone to keep her sane.

Lots of things rushed through Caroline's mind, and she barely realized her friends when they both arrived. She was deep in thought when Katherine wrapped her arms around her. At that very moment all she could think of was her best friend struggling for his life. Although she tried her hardest to keep her thoughts on forming silent prayers she couldn't stop thinking of their last kiss. This kiss, among the others, had been so different. She knew she shouldn't think about the details while they were operating on him, but she couldn't help herself. She had interrupted him. He had been about to say something when she kissed him. It had sounded as if he was going to say he loved her. Maybe? If so, did he mean it? She wanted to know the answers to those questions as much as she wanted him to make it through surgery. Something between them had changed and she needed him to make it so they talk it out. She didn't know what she would do if they didn't get their final chance.

* * *

Two and half hours later Klaus was in one of the hospital's rooms. All their friends were around his gurney when he woke up, even if they weren't working that night. Katherine was sat on the chair close to his bed, reading a magazine, while Elena held his hand on the other side of the bed. Damon and Caroline were sat on the chairs across his bed, with Bonnie and Stefan positioned near the door. At the foot of his bed stood Elijah looking as pale as a sheet of paper.

"How was the view of hell, Original Evil?" Katherine asked sarcastically when Klaus finally opened his eyes.

"You're here, does that mean I'm there now?" he quipped, grimacing a little bit from the dry taste in his mouth and the ache in his torso.

"How are you feeling, Niklaus?" his brother asked, and for a moment Klaus didn't say anything.

"I'm fine, Elijah. A bullet in my guts won't kill me, sorry to inform you," he said stretching his hand across his abdomen in pain.

"He needs to rest. He's lost a lot of blood and he needs to rest," Isobel said the moment she entered the room.

"Welcome back man," Damon said, standing up, before heading out.

"Get some rest," Elena offered, caressing his hair for a moment.

"You'll have to make up for my night off," Katherine simply commented, before leaving as well.

"I'm on call tonight," Caroline informed Elijah, who didn't know what to do or what to say. "I'll keep an eye on him," she reached for the older Mikaelson's shoulder.

"Please, Caroline, let me know if anything changes, it doesn't matter the time," he asked, the whole time looking at Klaus who was now looking back at his brother.

"How are you doing?" Caroline asked from the foot of his bed, while one of Isobel's residents checked his vitals and updated his chart.

"I'll survive, sweetheart. I've survived worse," he offered.

"Do you want some water?" she said waking in the direction of the table close to the window. He nodded and she filled a glass of water, before handing it to him with a straw.

"Thanks," he took the glass with both hands shaking slightly as drank from the straw slowly.

Caroline kept her distance. She didn't know what to do and she wouldn't address the subject. There was a disturbing silence in his room after the resident left, and neither Caroline nor Klaus said a word for a long time.

"I think… I should go… interns… they can't be alone…" she rambled, pointing to the door.

"Okay," he nodded.

"I'll come back later," she promised, before leaving.

* * *

Caroline checked on her patients and gave out instructions to her interns. She couldn't think about anything else but Klaus. She was relieved he was doing well, but her thoughts couldn't stray away from the possibility that he loved her. What if he really loved her? She knew she had feelings for him, but she wasn't sure what kind of feelings. The nights she had spent alone in her house because of their elevator fight had been painful. She had missed him. Missed feeling safe in his arms and her heart rushed with his touch. Was it just a crush or was she falling for him? What would she say if he admitted to having feelings for her?

Caroline was confused. She knew for sure she didn't have feel anything when Mason kissed her a few days ago, and that her body shivered with delight at Klaus' kiss. How long could she keep up this denial? She returned to the world when someone called her. She turned away and saw Elena.

"How is he?" she asked.

"He's fine. He's going to make it." Caroline answered. Elena shyly smiled.

"Why don't you go see him?" she asked

"I don't… I'm not… I'm in love with him… he could be dying…," the brunette rambled, but Caroline offered a sweet smile to her sister.

"Elena, he'll be happy to see you," Caroline offered, and Elena just nodded.

"Thank you, Caroline," Elena said quietly, heading to his bedroom.

_See Caroline? You're not jealous; you just asked his favorite girl toy to go to his room. You are a pimp_, she said to herself, knowing all along she only sent Elena there because she was afraid of her own feelings. She was afraid of what she would do if she got too close to him, and that was why she preferred to deflect his sincere and flirty advances; deflect by throwing hot girls at him. Caroline smacked her head with the clipboard in her hand. What was her problem?

But with Caroline's history in relationships, who could blame her for being such an avoider?

* * *

Klaus was alone in his room thinking about what he had almost said to her. He was in love with her, but he didn't want her to know _yet_, or ever, and especially not like that. But for a moment, when he felt his body growing cold so fast, he thought he would die. He didn't regret it, but he didn't feel comfortable. He didn't want to bring the subject over again and he knew Caroline would avoid it as well, especially because she hadn't come back to his room since she left four hours ago.

She missed him.

He missed her.

But none of them were willing to show their feelings, too afraid of the consequences.

Her night shift was almost ending and she still hadn't come back to check on him. She asked the nurse on his floor and she confirmed that he was stable. That was all that mattered.

He didn't ask for her. He was avoiding her as well.

She was paged to check in on a patient on his floor and when she was coming back to the on call room she heard a commotion. Two nurses were running to his room. Caroline's heart stopped for a moment, before she ran towards his room as well.

"What happened? Why wasn't I paged?" she yelled at the nurses.

"His BP is up and so is his heart beat. It just happened," one of them explained.

Caroline took charge immediately, ordering the proper dosage of medicine to be managed. His blood pressure was sky high although she didn't know why. He also had a fever, and she feared for the worst. An infection in such a vulnerable area could really damage him. It could kill him. But his body reacted to the medication quickly and soon his BP and heartbeat were back to normal rates.

"You can go. I'll take care of him," Caroline said, taking a chair by his side.

"Seriously, don't you think you already played enough with my heart today?" she asked him as soon as everybody left his room, "You scared the hell out of me."

"I'm hardcore, sweetheart," he answered. He had woken up in the middle of the procedures, because of all the yelling, but also because the pain was consuming his body.

"You better be otherwise I'll kill you myself!" she offered, burying her head in her hands.

He smirked and both were in silence for some minutes.

"Well I guess I can go now, are you feeling okay?" she asked, stalling before she would have to rise from her seat. She didn't think her legs would support her weight after the adrenaline from helping him come down.

"Yes,"

"Okay. I'll ask the nurses to check on you every thirty minutes," she said writing down some notes on his chart. She offered him a small smile before turning to leave.

"Caroline," he called, and she turned to look at him again. He didn't say anything; just stared at her while he looked for the right words. He didn't feel like himself at the moment. He knew he had a fever, but there was something else he couldn't explain, and he knew he wasn't completely in charge of his thoughts and actions.

"What is it, Klaus, is something the matter?" she asked concerned, walking to stand by his side immediately.

"Could you stay?" he asked with sadness in his eyes "Please?" he sounded vulnerable, which was uncommon for him, except around his brother. The moments he shared with Caroline in the bank after he was shot and their kisses the night before had been occupying his mind all throughout the day. The series of events were taking their toll on him, in addition to the physical stress his body had been under for the past few hours.

"Sure," she said half smiling.

In that moment Caroline realized how selfish she was. He'd been shot and she was avoiding him because she didn't want to face his or her feelings. When she needed him he'd been unconditionally by her side and now she was running away when he needed her the most

"I'm sorry for not coming before, you needed me, I should have been here early," she said stroking his hair. The moment he felt her touch he closed his eyes. It could heal everything he might have better than any medicine.

"It hurts," he babbled. His fever didn't break, actually it only went higher and he felt his rationality slipping away faster.

"Where?" she asked concerned.

"Inside," he simply answered, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Talk to me Klaus. Where does it hurt?" she asked holding his hand

"I need you," he whispered.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere…. Sorry I didn't want… to leave you alone. I don't know… what I was thinking... I was selfish. You're a great friend… for me and… when it turned to me… I was absent... I'm so sorry Klaus," she rambled through her words, finally breaking down as well. All the emotions she had been sucking up through the last hours finally taking their toll on her.

"I fancy you," he said, just as he felt her hand slipping from his hair to his cheek. Caroline gasped lightly at the feel of his burning skin. The medicine might have done its magic on his blood pressure and heart rate, but his fever had only risen.

"You have a fever," she mumbled to herself her hand moving to press the call button.

"I meant it Caroline," he stopped her movements locking his eyes on her.

"I fancy you," he said sliding his hand in the back of her neck, "I'm in love with you," he pulled her close slowly. A small voice, in the back of his mind fearing a rejection, but he couldn't stop himself. His own fears were fruitless as Caroline didn't react at first except to move in closer, her body hovering above his own before she passionately returned his kiss. He slipped his fingers through her hair and moved his other hand to her waist, while she cupped his face. She didn't know what she felt for him, but she knew all she wanted in that moment was to feel the warmth of his lips.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" she asked him some time later, when she felt his fever had finally broken.

"Good, you don't need to worry about me, I'm going to be okay," he answered, happy for her presence.

"I'm not leaving again, I promise… I was just afraid," she said, feeling teary all over again.

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that, sweetheart," he moved his hand to her cheek, caressing it with his thumb.

Someone knocked on the door, and Caroline knew who it was.

"I'm sorry, but I promised him," she said, kissing his forehead, before heading to open the door.

"He had a fever and his blood pressure went over 16:12, but it's under control now," Caroline offered to the raven-haired man looking anxious.

"Thanks for paging me," Elijah thanked the blond, who looked to Klaus and back to his brother. Klaus held a serious expression, his lips pressed in a tight line, his eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to get some coffee, otherwise I won't make it the rest of the night," she explained, not even trying to be subtle.

"You didn't need to come, especially not in the middle of the night," Klaus said.

"I'm glad you're okay, Niklaus," Elijah offered, as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"That would be a first," the injured man scoffed.

"We used to be the closest," the heart surgeon said with much sorrow.

"Things changed,"

"They did, but they don't need to be like that forever," Elijah suggested, but Klaus wasn't so easily convinced.

"They can't go back to what they were," the blond looked away hurt by the hard reality. Although he knew he deserved the hate from his family it didn't make it any easier for him. Even ten years later he still felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest the day he left them behind.

"Then we find a new common ground," Elijah took the nearby chair.

"It's not that easy," Klaus looked at him briefly. He didn't want to get used to the compassion he saw in Elijah's face. Since Thanksgiving things had changed. Klaus knew his brother didn't feel about him like he did a year ago, when they found out they were going to work at the same hospital for the next seven years at least.

"It may not be, but still you went to England last summer," Elijah's voice was back to its collected tone.

"How do you know?" Klaus was surprised by those words.

"I talk to our mother every week, Niklaus," the attending doctor offered.

"Always the golden son," Klaus jeered.

"I miss you. I've missed you every day since that night," Elijah admitted, and this time he was the one avoiding looking at his brother.

"But still you didn't forgive me," the resident said with confidence.

There was a silent moment between them, and Klaus actually looked compassionately to his brother.

"I understand, Eli, I wouldn't forgive myself either," his voice was soft and low.

"I actually forgave you, brother. I was just too bitter to admit it," Elijah confessed, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

"What I did is unforgivable. Not only did I destroyed Rebekah's life, but drove Henrik to his death," Klaus looked away again, his fists clenched in anger against himself. "It's my fault we don't have them anymore,"

"You made mistakes, I did too, and so did Henrik," Elijah tried to comfort the man in the bed, but only one person was able to reach Klaus in moments like this and it wasn't Elijah.

"He was only a boy, I should have known better. Dammit, I did know better," Klaus nearly yelled.

"No one knew better after what happened to Rebekah. We were out of our minds back then, Niklaus," Elijah said, reaching his brother's arm.

"I wish I could turn back time. I wouldn't have started anything with Tatia and tried to steal her from you," the resident felt a tear rolling down his face. He knew if he had behaved differently about Tatia all their pain could have been avoided, and their family would still be one, not the wreck it had been for ten years.

"You couldn't steal something that wasn't mine to begin with. I was older, I should have known better. You were just a teenager, experiencing his first love, I should have stepped back," the heart surgeon admitted, and Klaus was yet again surprised by his words.

"Even if all of you can forgive me, I can't," Klaus said after a few more minutes in silent.

"We already lost enough ten years ago, Klaus. That day cost me three siblings, but you're still here, we could be brothers again. I almost lost you last night, don't make me feel like I still don't have you," Elijah said, dejectedly.

"I don't think I can, even if I wanted," Klaus answered, feeling for his brother. Elijah was right; they used to be the best of friends, the closest brothers, always and forever there for one another. He had missed his best friend, and he wouldn't keep punishing himself that much if it meant he was punishing his brother along with him.

"If you want it, that's enough for now," Elijah nodded, before standing up to walk away.

* * *

"Hey," Caroline said, entering the room after Elijah left. She gave Klaus five minutes to regroup himself, as she realized by Elijah's demeanor that they had shared an emotional talk.

"Hey," he answered, as she closed the door behind her. She could see he was in an even worse shape than Elijah, and she needed to be there for him, more than before.

"You don't need to stay, sweetheart, go take a rest, it's almost four in the morning," he offered as she walked towards his bed.

"I'm staying until five-thirty," she said and before he could protest she was climbing into the bed mindful of his injured side as she curled herself against his body.

"You still have to work tomorrow, love, this bed is bad enough for one person, let alone two," he said concerned about her. He knew she had been under a lot of stress, not only because of his condition, but also because of the traumatizing scene she witnessed at the bank.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be more than here," she offered, kissing his cheek, her lips lingering longer than necessary.

"Thank you, love," he said, kissing her hair, and bringing her body closer to was playing with his hospital gown, her fingers sliding along his chest while neither of them said a word.

"Could you bring my sketchbook for me in the morning? If I'm going to stay here another day, at least let me make it productive," he said, avoiding the elephant in the room. They had kissed numerous times in the past two days, and he admitted he fancied her, but that was all that had been said about it.

"Sure," she responded continuing her ministrations.

"You're going to make me fall asleep if you keep that up sweetheart," he said feeling his eyelids getting heavier and heavier with her soothing touch. Before she entered the room he thought sleep wouldn't come easily after having such a difficult talk with his brother. Maybe he was wrong; maybe there was someone else that could comfort him in moments like this.

"Good, because you need your beauty sleep," she said, moving herself over to reach for the switch and turn off the light.

"Good night, Klaus," she said, pecking his lips softly with her own.

"Good night, love," he answered back.

* * *

Isobel came to check on him first thing in the morning, and Caroline followed her there, even if she was working with Elijah for the day.

Fortunately his injury wasn't serious, although some organs had been affected and they decided to keep him at the hospital for two more days for observation. To say Klaus was unhappy about it was an understatement. But when Isobel spoke to him about his recovery he was even more frustrated. He was going to miss a month of work, meaning he would have to work a lot of double shifts when he came back from his sick leave if he didn't want to lose his entire year's work.

Caroline decided to sleep in his room the following two nights, even if she wasn't on call. Her friends thought it was weird, but she said she didn't want to sleep alone and that the gurney she asked them to bring to his room would be comfortable if her actions showed how close she and Klaus had become in the past five months, nobody suspected any sort of romance to have blossomed between the two. They all knew how overprotective Caroline was about their friends, and they thought she was staying with Klaus at night more for his benefit rather than her own. They were completely wrong.

"I brought you lunch from Matt," she said closing the door behind her and all the blinds as well.

"How thoughtful of you, sweetheart," he said, with a content smile.

"I'm very thoughtful, thank you very much," she giggled before pecking him in the lips.

Klaus was surprised, after all it was daytime and some of the doctors or nurses could enter the room at any moment, but he was also pleased with her actions.

"You don't tease a man like that, sweetheart," he said, opening the cartoon to start eating his lunch.

"I'll come back later tonight when we'll have much more privacy," she winked, sitting in the chair by his side.

"Can't wait," he said returning the wink as he ate. Caroline, realizing that he was grimacing, put her food aside and sat on the side of his bed.

"Let me help you," she said, taking the fork and the knife from his hands.

"I'm not invalid, sweetheart," he complained, but truth was moving his right side had been difficult, even if only his arm.

"But there's no need for you to be in pain. Your wound is going to take a whole month for it to heal," she said as she moved the fork to his mouth. He parted his lips, still unhappy about being spoon fed his food. He hated to depend on people, and to depend on someone to fee him was particularly embarrassing.

"You're lucky we're one week away from Christmas and you'll be better by then, it could be much more embarrassing if I fed you in front of everybody," she offered, knowing how he was feeling at the moment because of the constant pout in his face. He had never looked more adorable.

"You're really love the holidays, don't you?" he chuckled a little bit.

"Yep," she said, pretending to move the fork to feed him, but moving it away from his opened mouth at the last second and feeding herself instead.

"Don't be mean, sweetheart," he smiled, and she winked at him once more. And just like that life felt like it was back on track.

* * *

After three days he was finally released, and although he wouldn't admit it, he was happy Caroline took that Friday off to be with him. Not only had she taken the day off but she had changed her shift on the Saturday to be with him through the whole weekend. She wanted to be with him to take care of him, but she would be lying if she didn't admit it was also to spend time with him. What had started with chaste pecks had soon escalated to heated kisses while she spent her nights with him. Yet still they hadn't talk about their relationship.

"Thank God I'm finally out of that room," he said, as she helped him enter the house.

"It wasn't that bad. Downstairs or upstairs?" she asked.

"Upstairs, please," he said, and she headed them upstairs.

"Home, sweet, home," she exclaimed as they entered his bedroom.

"Do you know what that means?" he asked with his perfect smirk in place.

"What does it mean?" she asked sitting by his side

"That I can kiss you…" he kissed her, "whenever…" pecking her lips again, "I want," finally he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping inside her mouth.

"I like it," she giggled once they broke apart.

"Am I or am I not the best kiss you've ever had?" he asked, kissing her softly, his smirk still in place.

"You definitely are," she closed her eyes as his lips found their way to her neck and collarbone. But as soon as he attempted to move any more south he straightened his back, his side in pain.

"I'd love to continue, baby, but we have to follow the recommendations. Don't walk long distances. You can't carry any weight; can't bend down and can't have sex for one month," she said seriously, knowing the last item would definitely be the hardest for both of them.

"Who says I can resist you for one month?" he asked, recovering from the pain and wrapping his arms around her midsection.

"Who says I will ever have sex with you?" she challenged, raising her eyebrow.

"You can't resist me, love," he whispered on her ear and she could already feel her arousal building up.

"I'll have you know I've stopped sleeping with inappropriate men,"

"And how appropriate is it to seduce an injured man?" he asked, biting her earlobe.

"Totally inappropriate," she barely answered, before bringing him down to the bed with her.

* * *

_AN: sorry for the delay, but Erin had a busy week and so did I, but here it is. Sorry to tease you with a dream, but I don't think they could just have sex when they had to go five months until a first kiss that was actually a trick... and now he can't have sex for a month, so they're celibate as it is now._

_I want to thank everyone who followed, added this story (or me) to their favorite and especially the ones who took the time to review. Special thanks to my beta **Erin**, who is wonderful.  
_

_Now, there's no sneak peek from next chapter, but I have three stories idealized in my head (one of them outlined from epilogue to prologue), but I can't write more than two stories at a time, unless you guys want to wait a month for an update (which sucks). So I'm going to give you the summaries and you let me know which one you want to read first - if you're interested in any of them at all.  
_

_I'll also need an additional beta (don't hurry to volunteer, English isn't my first language and you'll have a lot of work and I'm picky with grammar, even if I am no expert in English grammar, so I may be a pain).  
_

_So here as the summaries. You can let me know your fave by the number or the the name of the story.  
_

_Have a nice week, don't forget to review. I'd love it if you did ;)  
_

_1) **Inevitable** - set in 1863/1864: She arrived with hope, after losing everything. He left to the war knowing his father hoped he died there. They never met, but their love was meant to be written. AH, AU. The basic plot is: Caroline's parents died in a famous New York riot in 1863 and she was sent to live with the Mikaelson's. Klaus is sent to the war by his father and he doesn't resist because he wants to die in the war as he feels unloved and undeserving of everything. Klaus leaves in the morning, Caroline arrives in the afternoon. Henrik wants to communicate with Klau,s but asks Caroline to write the letters as he says he's not good with words (he's 13 in this story). This story won't be fanfic style. Actually I plan to write it as if it was a book, something like Pride and Prejudice (although I'm not comparing quality here, just the kind of prose)._

2) **Love, Unexpected** - The Forbes lead an important criminal investigation in Virginia, but when they come close to uncovering a drug cartel, the drug dealers kidnap their daughter, Caroline. But is the ex-CIA agent responsible for her kidnapping aware of what he's doing when he doesn't even know who he is? AU/AH. I think the summary covers everything I can say now as it involves a bit of suspense, a lot of action and of course, romance ;)

3) **The Eden Island**. When Bonnie used dark magic to give Klaus his body back, Esther took the chance to get rid of her bastard son. Unfortunately for her, Caroline was with him the moment the dark smoke engulfed him and they found themselves in an exotic island where weird things happened, the weirdest of them being their powers completely gone. S4/AU. Basic plot: Esther resurrects somehow and sends Klaus and Caroline to a mystic place on Earth: the remaining of the Eden Garden, that wasn't destroyed by God, but that can't be tracked by men. It's a very small island in the pacific that isn't registered in maps or satellite images. For some reason (to be explained through the story) they lose their powers while in there. They have to survive in an island without any sort of technology or resources while the gang try to rescue them.  


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	14. Chapter XIII

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**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XXIII**

* * *

They spent almost the entire weekend in bed, but they didn't attempt to have sex. Klaus was still sore and although he tried to pleasure her, she was adamant on waiting for him to be better before they partaken in that activity. Caroline didn't know how it happened, but all of sudden he turned into the one person she couldn't be without. It hadn't been that long ago when she had realized her feelings for him were changing, but she was still surprised by how good they were together. They seemed like teenagers in love for the first time; puppy love. Every free second – which happened to be every second for the past two days, they were kissing, touching, laughing or talking. The only moments they were apart happened to be when a trip to the bathroom was in order.

Caroline had decided to let him stay in her bedroom seeing as her bed was bigger and more comfortable. Her room also contained a private bathroom with the only bathtub in the house. Although he had been released he still had to avoid as much movement as possible during the first few days after his surgery, which led Caroline to help him with almost everything.

He thought she was overreacting, but soon he realized he was fighting a losing battle against her will. But he had to admit, it felt good to have someone to care about him after such a long time going without it.

It was Sunday afternoon, and they decided to venture downstairs and watch some TV. Only Caroline had visited the first floor in the past two days. She wouldn't allow him to travel up and downstairs unnecessarily, but even then she only left her bedroom when she had to get them something to eat. After much reassurance from Klaus he convinced her to let him go downstairs with her help – not that he needed the help, but he knew it was the perfect bait.

They were making out on her couch, the TV long forgotten, when she heard someone unlocking the front door.

"There's someone opening the front door!" she broke the contact of their bodies, trying to regain her composure and patting down her hair.

"But we're just kissing, and we were just getting started," he said trying to kiss her neck, but she slipped from him and headed to the door to meet Katherine.

"Hey," Caroline said, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail.

"How is working as a nurse going?" Katherine asked, as she followed the TV's sound, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine" he answered, his eyes narrowed at the TV.

"You don't seem to be fine," Katherine said as Caroline stood behind her looking at the floor.

"I should go check the laundry" Caroline said leaving the room. She couldn't face Klaus. They hadn't talked about their status. In fact she didn't even know if they were in a relationship or not because they hadn't talked at all. At the hospital they just shared some kisses, but for the last three days they had been living like a couple, a happy couple. Caroline was a little scared. Things were moving too fast. She realized that she was maybe attracted to him and then they kissed, and she thought she felt something more than just attraction, and a week later they were behaving like they had been a couple since high school!

Klaus didn't seem very pleased. He didn't like her reaction at all. They didn't talk about it, but what was there to talk about? They spent every waking minute together, they slept together… he was pretty sure they were in a relationship, even if it only started a few days ago. He didn't want to hide it, but Caroline seemed to disagree with him about it. A million thoughts crossed his mind as Katherine talked about things at the hospital. _Is she embarrassed to be me with me? Is it because she still loves Mason? Am I only a distraction? Is she in it only for the physical aspect? - _were some of the thoughts crossing his head, and as much as he tried to concentrate on what the brunette was saying, he couldn't. He was very angry. Whatever the reasons were behind Caroline's reaction he had a problem with it. He thought they were happy, even if it was recent. He thought she was into this as much as he was, although he knew for sure she wasn't in love him with. Yet.

Some minutes later Caroline entered the room again. She hadn't wanted Katherine to go after her and find out there was no laundry being done, so she returned to the TV room. Katherine tried to engage the couple in some conversations, but Caroline was distracted and Klaus angry.

"Spit it out guys. What the hell is going on?" the brunette blurted out. She may not know Klaus that well, but he wasn't putting any effort into showing that he wasn't mad, and she could read Caroline like a book.

"What?" they asked together, though with completely different tones. "There's something off. Caroline, you're as nervous as a girl on her first date ever, and Klaus, you're even more unbearable than usual. So, what's going on? What are you hiding?" Katherine asked, her hands on her hips, as she waited for an explanation.

Both Klaus and Caroline failed at attempts of denial and Katherine refused to let it go.

"Okay," Caroline admitted, realizing there was no way to keep something from her best friend, "I'm seeing someone and it's bothering Klaus because I decided to make it a secret," Caroline fidget with the hem of her top, avoiding to look at the man in the room at all costs.

"What do you mean? Someone other than Mason?" Katherine asked confused and shocked.

"As if Mason would ever agree to make our relationship a secret again. He was happy when my mother and the rest of the hospital found out. He's too proud to do it again, especially now that my mother is dead. He would never agree to make it a secret," Caroline explained, and Katherine nodded, knowing that was what Mason would do.

"Can't blame the guy," Klaus offered under his breath.

"But why is Klaus so angry?" the brunette asked not knowing why Caroline dating made him angry, although she remembered how mad he was when Caroline hooked up with Damon.

"Because now this house has rules and you've just broke one. People can't enter without dinging the bell. You never know what you will find in the living room. Besides if I'm keeping it a secret it's because I don't want people to know." she rambled nervously.

"Why can't people know, Caroline?" Katherine asked, raising one of her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Yes, Caroline. Why?" Klaus asked sarcastically.

"It's complicated," the blond girl answered, her eyes peaking at Klaus for a moment. He was even angrier than before.

"More than Mason? I mean how can anything be more complicated than a hidden wife he eventually chose over you? When your mother found out you were having sex with the guy she worked her tits off to bring to the Presbyterian? There isn't much more complicated than that," Katherine continued to appraise Caroline's reactions. There was more to it than the blond was leading on.

"It's just complicated, okay?" Caroline reacted defensively, but raising her voice.

"Is it Damon? Please tell me you're not stupid enough to try to have a relationship with a womanizer!" Katherine sat on the couch. She couldn't believe Caroline could be that naïve.

"This conversation is a bit too feminine and asinine for my tastes. I'm going upstairs. Kat, thanks for stopping by," Klaus offered, while he slowly moved out of the room.

"Take care Klaus," she said turning immediately to Caroline, thankful the guy was leaving. She knew she could make Caroline talk, but they had to be alone.

"It's not Damon, Katherine," Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Who is he? Do I know him?"

"Kat, I really want to give it a shot before I tell anyone. Things have been so complicated with Mason, and it's also very recent. You know how much I hurt after my last relationship and I don't want to feel that pain again, so I've decided to take things slow. There's no rush into making things official, we're getting to know each other, finding out how it is to be with each other. At the right moment I'll let everyone know. I just need time. I want it to work, but I can't see the future, so I want to know for sure. I don't want to be hurt again," Caroline explained her feelings, unaware that Klaus had listened to her every word.

He still had difficulty walking even with the TV room just by the stairs. He was still making his way upstairs when she had spoken, her voice carrying into the stairwell. He was relieved to know it wasn't any of the things he thought. She was just afraid of things not working out between them. She was afraid of being hurt again. He still remembered the nights she used to cry for Mason. They actually only stopped after they had kissed just two weeks ago. He couldn't help but feel powerless when she cried like that and he would do everything for it never to happen again. But what were the odds of him hurting her? Maybe he would never hurt her like Mason did, but he always broke the people around him. He hadn't been able to keep even his family, how was he going to keep Caroline without hurting her? He would have to watch himself because Caroline couldn't be broken again. The best thing for her would probably be to stay away from him if he really loved her and step away. But he was in too deep. He couldn't imagine his life without her.

Katherine tried to convince Caroline to confess who her mysterious man was for twenty minutes, but ended up giving up and leaving. Elijah had been waiting for her outside and she promised she wouldn't take longer than ten minutes, but she had stayed thirty.

Caroline didn't know how to look at Klaus' face. She knew he was hurt. To everyone else he might only look angry, but she knew him better now. She knew under the mask of anger, he was bleeding, he was hurting. But what should she say? What could she say? They had never mentioned where they stood, and that was probably because men like him didn't do relationships. Maybe Katherine was right and she was stupid to believe she could have a serious relationship with a womanizer. But what were they then? Sex buddies sans the sex part? Friends with benefits? Should she end whatever they had before they actually had sex?

The blond was lost in her thoughts, thinking about everything that had happened since he moved in. She remembered when he was there for her, she remember when she helped him with his nightmares and violent episodes. Since the first time she entered his bedroom, he hadn't had a violence fit following his nightmares. She had learned to wait for him to regain complete awareness of his surroundings before she talked him out of going into a riot. Then she remembered Thanksgiving, the many non-date dates they went. She was so lost in her memories, that she didn't hear him approaching her, almost an hour after Katherine left.

"Sweetheart," he said, softly and she bit her lower lip thinking of what she could say to him. Or worse, what he had to say to her.

"I'm sorry," she immediately offered, feeling bad for putting him in that position in the first place.

"Don't be," he moved to where she was, touching her face, while she looked embarrassed for her previous actions. "Don't say anything," he completed, moving his index finger to her lips and then replacing it with his own lips. He could feel her tense body relaxing in his arms the moment he kissed her. He moved over her, kneeling over her, each of his legs by her side. It hurt like hell, but he needed to be closer. He didn't deepen the kiss even when he felt her lips parting under his. His movements against her mouth slow and soft while his hand moved to her head and stroked her hair. This was a different kiss. He didn't look for her tongue as he usually did within a matter of seconds. There wasn't the usual rush of desire. All it held was love and reassurance.

He slowly separated his lips from hers, still leaning over her. His forehead touched hers while he looked into her eyes, "Take your time, love." he moved his lips to her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her face to his chest.

"Did you hear what I said?" she asked, only then realizing he probably did as he was still moving quite slowly.

He nodded, kissing her head.

"Just take your time. I know he broke you and that you're not done putting the pieces back together. I don't want to rush you. I want to make things right this time. I've never done this and I admit I've never done the right thing before. I ruin every single good thing in my life and I know it doesn't give you the best prospect, but I'll try my best because you're worth. I've never met someone like you, Caroline. You're smart, strong, and full of light. You're compassionate, already ready to forgive and you never judge the people you love, ever. It doesn't matter what people do you're always supportive to them, but never to their mistakes because you don't negotiate your principles. You're giving and when I say you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met I don't mean only your beauty. I mean all of you," he said as he stroked her hair, holding her close to his body, feeling her tears soaking his shirt.

Caroline couldn't stop her tears. It had been the first time in her life someone had said something like that about her. It warmed her, his pride in her. Like the way Mason was proud of his sister. Like the way her mother was proud of her career and proud of Elijah and Katherine. She had always wanted to make someone proud of her, maybe because she felt like she failed both her parents. But even wanting that more than anything else, she felt like she had never accomplished it and some days she thought she never would. Until that moment when Klaus had spoken those words with such honesty and care. Here he was, with his knees bent around her, saying how he admired her. She broke their embrace briefly, wiping away a few tears, before looking at his blue eyes. The blue eyes that had always mesmerized her. She softly caressed softly his face while tears still fell from her eyes, "No one has ever told me something like that,"

"I meant every word, sweetheart," he offered a smile.

"I know, that's why it matters," she said, moving her head back to his chest.

* * *

"How was he?" Elijah asked when his girlfriend entered the car.

"He's fine, angry, but fine," she said adjusting her seat belt.

"Niklaus doesn't know how to rest. I remember when he was five and he broke his foot, and had a cast for two weeks, though it was supposed to be a month. Even though he was very young he found a way to ruin the cast, leading the doctor to remove it completely," he chuckled at the memory of Klaus holding a naughty face while he submerged the back of his cast in boiling water and melting it.

"Oh, it isn't about his condition at all. It seems Caroline is dating someone, and he's mad because she wants to keep it a secret and the house now has rules." Katherine shook her head slightly at her friend's decision. She was almost thirty, what was the point of hiding a relationship? Relationships failed, most of them did, if whatever she had with this guy didn't work, she could simply move on to the next, especially when the brunette was sure Caroline was only rebounding.

"Oh," Elijah answered surprised by the development.

"What?" Katherine asked curiously, knowing her boyfriend was thinking about something.

"Klaus seems to care about Caroline in a way I'm sure he hasn't cared about anyone in the past ten years. Even before Henrik died, he had always been collected and closed to the outside world. He only cared about us and this one girl he fell in love when he was eighteen. He didn't have any friends, Rebekah and I had always been his best friends, and that was it for him. He didn't need or want anyone else. The first time I saw him since he left was last year, but based on the gossip at the hospital, my suspicions are probably right. Caroline is the first person he's cared about in a very long time," the heart surgeon explained, while Katherine held his hand. She knew Klaus was a sensitive subject to Elijah, and that he wanted nothing more than to have any sort of relationship with his brother, even if they never went back to what they used to be.

"Do you think he has romantic feelings for her?" Katherine asked a while later, the idea just crossing her mind.

"It's possible, but I know my brother, he wouldn't make a move, especially because she's been hurt by Mason," he said after giving it some thought.

"What if Caroline made the first move?"

"Then things would be different, but you seem so sure she still loves Mason… Didn't you say she was depressed about it just after Thanksgiving?" Elijah asked as they approached his building.

"Yeah, you're right. She still loves him, and then there's this new guy, that is clearly making Klaus jealous. He wouldn't be that angry if he was her mysterious guy," Katherine shrugged, and although Elijah was about to disagree, he kept his thoughts to himself. His brother was a very proud man; he would never agree to keep a relationship a secret, especially not after what they went through with Tatia.

"I finally told mother I work with Klaus," he changed the subject, partially.

"A year and a half later," she mocked her boyfriend before offering him a warm smile, "I'm proud of you, 'Lijah,"

"She admitted he visited last summer,"

"Did he meet the rest of your family?" Katherine asked.

"No, Finn and Sage moved to Glasgow and Kol was vacationing through Europe," he explained, as they entered the building's garage.

"This is a good thing. This will probably bring down some of his walls now,"

"Maybe," Elijah said, remembering his latest conversation with Klaus. He could see what Klaus wanted, but it seemed like he couldn't do it.

"But that's not the only thing I talked to her about," he offered once they entered the elevator, his arm moving to her shoulders.

"Oh?"

"I've talked to the chief, and he agreed to give us a couple of days-off on New Years' Eve. The thirty-first is a Monday and he said we could go back to work on Wednesday. I'd like to bring you to meet my family," he smiled softly at her.

"Last time we planned a holiday together things went downhill," she said nervously. Truth was she was anxious about meeting his family. They were foreign, and probably as collected and formal as Elijah. She was afraid of what his mother would say of her. She was as far from poster girlfriend as it got.

"Last time I was a fool, that won't happen again, darling," he said as they stepped out of the lift.

"I'm not sure about this, 'Lijah," she admitted her insecurities, something he wasn't used to yet. The first time they dated, she used to be confident and showed no weakness or vulnerability. But since she had confessed the atrocious things that she went through as a child, she had been showing more and more of her vulnerable side. Although it broke his heart to know she felt like that, it also made him feel responsible for her, to take care of her. He felt like she finally trusted him with her heart and that was all he needed to move their relationship to the next level. He had no doubt Katherine was the one for him.

"The invitation still stands. I told Alaric I was going to check with you and would give him a final answer tomorrow," he unlocked their apartment.

"Okay," she smiled at him, in a way that was rare to see on Katherine's face. She was sarcastic, fierce, witty, and tough. That soft smile was normally reserved to after they made love.

"You don't need to be afraid; I'm not going to hurt you again. We've been together for some time now and it's natural for you to meet my family. I want you to meet them, I want you to get used to the family you're entering," he cupped her face, before kissing her briefly.

"I wouldn't call it 'entering'," she quipped.

"Katherine, I think I'm not as good at being subtle as I think and I'm probably failing in sending you the right signs. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to make you my wife someday, I won't settle in just sharing an apartment with you. When I met the board I told them I was planning to get married to you next year," he offered her a smile, while he eyed her joyfully.

"Thank you for letting them know before me, I feel special and like I have some sort of say in it," she answered sarcastically, but he could catch her uneasiness as well.

"Honey, you're the one that has to inform me of something, and that would be if you want to get married to me when I finally ask you," he smirked, but she didn't share his amusement.

"Are you serious, Elijah?" she sounded almost insecure.

"Of course I am. You're it for me, Kat. But let's not talk about it anymore. I like traditions, and I'm not going to talk you into marrying me. I want to propose someday, and give you everything you deserve," he kissed her again, and this time it wasn't fast at all. Although, their clothes quickly found their living room's floor.

* * *

Caroline was finally back at the hospital, and although she missed working, she missed Klaus even more, and it was only her second day back. She had been on call that night and it had been more than twenty-four hours since she had left him in her bed the previous morning. She called during her lunch break to check on him, and found out he was just like any man when they got sick: whiny, pitiful, pouty and needy. And being a doctor only made it worse.

She wanted to talk to Damon, to see if he had any of his more complicated surgeries recorded. She knew that Klaus could only be distracted by drawing for so long and since painting wasn't an option because of the pain he had little to do.

She knocked on his door, and heard Damon's unintelligible reply. She assumed it was his permission, and opened the door, but she wished she could un-see what she saw next.

"Whoa," Damon exclaimed, the moment he saw the door opening.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry," Caroline said her face red as a tomato as she closed the door as quick as possible. She only hesitated a moment before walking away.

"That was awkward," Rose said, her shirt still unbuttoned, her breasts already missing his touch. She was sitting on his desk, while he stood in front of her, exploring her upper body with his hands and mouth.

"I think the secret is out," she smiled warmly.

"Baby, everybody knows we've been having sex for months," his lips side looped, in his trademark smirk.

"No, everybody knows _you_ have been having sex with every woman in this hospital for months. I just happen to be one of them," she smiled, poking her finger into his also exposed chest.

"You know it's been only you for a couple of months now," he whispered, kissing her neck, before moving to her earlobe.

"Which I can't understand why," she muttered with her eyes closed.

"After my last fight with Mason I realized I need to grow up," he stopped kissing her, looking at her with a serious façade.

"Too bad, I was enjoying your carefree and irresponsible side too much," she said before kissing his chest.

"Rose…" it was his turn to moan, but she knew it wasn't only a moan.

"Damon, I've been married for eight years, my husband left me, got himself a girlfriend that he became head over heels in love with, and I was left with a divorce. I don't want commitment, I don't want anything serious. I want to have fun. It's been too long since I just had fun," she said almost frustrated. Rose checked her watch, seeing they only had five more minutes in their lunch break.

"I'm sure that I'm giving you a lot of fun, actually there's no one better to give a girl some fun than Damon Salvatore," he wriggled his eyebrows, deciding to drop the subject. He should know that the moment he wanted to be serious about someone, for the first time in his life, he would be rejected. Karma wasn't something to be ignored.

"And I do have a lot of fun, and good doesn't cover the sex, but that's it, Damon, and I thought that was okay with you," she said softly, as her fingers slipped along his chest.

"I was trying to treat you right," he moved his hand to her chin, making her look at him.

"Trust me; you're treating me just right," she moved her hand to behind his head, kissing him deeply.

"If you say so," he said against her lips, as they broke apart to breath.

"I do, now how about you lock your door, so we can finish what we started, this time uninterrupted," she bit her lip, reaching underneath her pencil skirt and slowly removing her panties. Their residents and interns could wait another five minutes. Or ten…

"Your wish is my command," he captured her lips heatedly, before doing as she said.

* * *

Caroline was standing in the front of the nurses' station trying to erase the images of Damon and Rose having sex from her mind. It was just her luck that she was under the pediatrician's services that day. Talk about awkward.

Fifteen minutes after she was supposed to join them, Rose finally appeared, looking absolutely composed and flawless in her perfect clothes. Caroline needed to get the guts to ask her how she managed to look so nice after having sex during her lunch break. She was always a sex-mess after she and Mason left the on call room. Her hair would always scream what she had been doing and no matter how much foundation she applied, she still looked flushed afterwards.

"I'm sorry for entering the office. I heard a voice after I knocked and I thought it was Damon saying I could come in," Caroline rambled, as she talked to Rose, who simply smiled.

"Don't worry, Caroline. I'm sure I'm not the first or the last to be caught in that position in that office," Rose added nonchalantly.

"You're probably right," the resident offered, still embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"How is Klaus?" the attending doctor asked as they headed walked towards their patient's room.

"Whiny, but getting better," Caroline chuckled.

"Sick men are just boys. My first experiences as a pediatrician was way before I actually started treating children. I was definitely one every time Mason got sick," Rose smiled softly at the memory. "I'm so sorry, Caroline, I forget you two… I should stop talking about how life used to be while I was married. I just can't help it," the hazel-eyed doctor apologized immediately.

"It was a big part of your life. It's natural that you still remember it and bring it up," Caroline offered, feeling bad for Rose.

"But I don't need to keep saying it, especially not around the girl who still likes my ex-husband," Rose spoke lower, so only Caroline heard, as the resident's interns were following them.

"I'm seeing someone else," Caroline admitted. It was awkward to be this close to Rose, but they had a lot in common. She wouldn't allow her terrible experience with Mason destroy a potential good friendship. Rose was one of the sweetest people Caroline had ever met.

"And it doesn't mean anything, Caroline, but that's okay. Mason will move on and so will I eventually. I still care about him… he's not a bad guy and I want him to be happy. If you're the one to make him happy, then I just have to accept it," the pediatrician offered, knowing that Caroline was in the same situation as she was. Having sex with someone doesn't mean you forgot the one you loved.

"Rose, I… I'm not comfortable talking about Mason with you. I'm sorry," Caroline looked uncomfortable, as they approached their patient's room.

"Neither am I, but I just wanted you to know I'm not going to hate you or dislike you if you decide to get back with him," Rose offered a tight smile before she opened the door to talk to her patient' parents.

Rose was finally offering Caroline her blessing. Not that Caroline ever needed it, but it was good to know Rose really didn't see her as the dirty mistress who stole her husband and wrecked their marriage.

Then Caroline remembered the last few days she had spent with Klaus. It had been so amazing, and she felt so comfortable and safe with him. Although he had sent her to the hospital once, he still made her feel protected. But what exactly were they? Were they giving into their physical attraction? She knew that that wasn't true, at from his perspective. He had made it clear that he actually liked her. But what about herself? What did she feel for him? The nonstop kissing and groping was making her feel like a teenager again, and while there was nothing wrong with that, it didn't scream feelings either. What if she was just fulfilling her needs? What if she had been missing having someone to be intimate with? Her life before Mason had been filled with boys. She knew none of the men she had been with meant anything to her, but it helped, especially when she used to think she would never be in a serious relationship.

But Klaus was different. There was something different between the two of them and she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Maybe it was the same as before, but instead of just satisfying her primal needs, she was rebounding. Maybe it was more significant and she was indeed falling in love with him. The thought of being in love with him crossed her mind a few times, but she knew she had been in a very vulnerable place since her breakup with Mason. She wasn't in the most reassuring moment of her emotional life. Mixing whatever she felt for Klaus for love or anything like that was just too easy. When someone gets hurt like she had been, whatever emotional connection they build with someone else feels magnified because you need them more than you usually would. She knew for sure she cared deeply for Klaus. She could even say she loved him as a friend.

He had been there for her in a way only Katherine used to be, but she couldn't compare the kind of comfort they brought to her. Katherine was her best friend, but she was a female. When she slept at her place, she didn't curl against the brunette's body. Katherine's touch – which was limited to a hug a year – didn't bring the comfort Klaus' did. Katherine cared about her, but she didn't protect her whereas Klaus was a tad overprotective. There were a lot of emotions Klaus brought that Katherine just didn't and couldn't. And she knew it was because he was a man… all man. And if he really liked her as he said, she had to be careful. She couldn't break his heart, she couldn't lead him on, and she couldn't make a mistake assessing her feelings for him. She had to be sure if she was with him because she liked him. Even more so because he was her best friend and they shared a great sexual attraction. Only time would give her those answers, but in the meantime she would do her best to be honest with him and herself.

* * *

The gang was going to Matt's after work. It was a Friday night and the week had been exhausting. They were being audited and auditors made most people uneasy, even if they were sure they were doing their work just fine. Everyone had been a little jumpy and with the end of the week, the audit was a concern for Monday. Elijah had told Katherine the audit was probably going to last a month, if there weren't any problems.

"Are you coming with us?" Katherine asked, finding her best friend pensive and sitting in front of her locker.

"Where?" Caroline asked distracted.

"To Matt's. You seem too broody these days. I knew Stefan's personality would rub off on you. Good thing next year he won't be an intern anymore and maybe you'll be salvageable," Katherine rolled her eyes, more to Stefan than to her best friend.

"I've been thinking about a few things. Trying to be honest with myself," the blond offered, with a small smile and sigh.

"Is it about your mysterious guy?" Katherine arched her eyebrow. She was still curious about whom he could be, but she wouldn't let it show. If she acted casually about it maybe Caroline would spill.

"Not just him, but about myself and Mason, my new family, my late mother. My life has been turned upside down in such a small period of time, and I think I overlooked some of the consequences and how those things affected me." She let out a huge sigh and leaned back into the lockers. "I feel emotionally unstable. I feel needy and vulnerable. I feel like I'm welcoming whatever relationship anyone is offering because I desperately want people to be part of my life and most importantly, allow me to be a part of theirs," Caroline confessed, and Katherine wasn't too surprised to hear those words. Truth to be told she had been thinking along those lines as well and had even talked to Elijah about how concerned she was.

"Maybe you should see a shrink? You father could recommend you the best," the brunette offered.

"I don't need therapy, Katherine," Caroline answered dryly.

"Therapy can be good. It helped me a lot after I left my parents' house," Katherine shrugged.

"You've been?" Caroline asked surprised. She didn't have any problems with therapy, but imagining someone as strong and self-sufficient like Katherine to have gone surprised Caroline.

"I'm such a messed up person, but at least I'm undamaged enough to go through a medical career and somewhat function socially. When I started high school I wasn't sure I would ever be emotionally capable of living socially," the brown-eye woman admitted, leading Caroline to feel for her. Katherine was a survivor, and she would always have the blonde's admiration.

"You're not messed up, Kat," Caroline protested softly.

"Maybe not anymore, but I used to be. I was too defensive, I didn't trust anyone, I used people at every opportunity I had. And I never allowed myself to care or be cared for. Did you know I only allowed a boy to kiss me without freaking out about it in my sophomore year… of college? I had my first voluntary sexual experience when I was twenty-three and it was with a girl because I was too afraid of men. After that day I was afraid of both, talk about traumatizing experiences," Katherine admitted chuckling a little bit in the last part, and although Caroline knew some of those things, she didn't know most of them.

"But you got over it and you have a brilliant career ahead of you, friends you care about, and a wonderful boyfriend," Caroline pointed out.

"And therapy helped me. You're right. A lot of things changed in your life and in a short period of time, and yes, I can see you welcoming and embracing every new person in your life. Some people are like that and that's okay for them, but that's not the woman I met a year and a half ago. I'm not saying you were a better person back then, but you've changed a lot Care, and maybe it's time for you to find some balance between not letting anyone in, and letting everyone in," Katherine insisted on her advice, and Caroline actually gave it a thought for a moment. Maybe she should look for a shrink, although she'd rather ask Alaric to recommend someone from the hospital rather than her father. He said once he didn't know a lot of people at the Presbyterian and she didn't have time to look a doctor away from her work.

"This guy I've been seeing… I'm so happy when he's around. He's so nice to me, he makes me feel safe and I feel like nothing bad will happen when he's around. Am I in love?" Caroline asked out loud the question that had been constantly in her head for the past week.

"Or could it be that Mason hurt you so much that the first guy that actually treats you well, even if only for the five minutes you've known each other, makes you think you're in love? Could it be that you just need this safety you're talking about and you're misreading it as love?""How can I get those answers? I don't know how I feel…" the blond asked frustrated and tiredly. Her brain would produce smoke if she kept thinking about Klaus that much. Not even when she broke up with Mason her thoughts were on something like they were in Klaus now.

"You could try to be very honest with yourself, to try to bare your soul, but that's not an easy task to do alone. A professional would help you by asking the important questions," Katherine said, based on experience. She knew sometimes people just didn't ask themselves the right questions.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I need to know who I am now, where I stand before I commit myself to someone else. I don't want to enter into another relationship from hell and I definitely don't want to hurt him," Caroline concluded. She had to admit she had a little bit of prejudice going into therapy. Her mother used to say it was for weak people who couldn't handle even themselves. But Elizabeth Forbes could be wrong a few times. Or a lot of times when it came to emotions.

"I'll see you on Sunday? You and Elijah are coming for Christmas, right?" Caroline said after grabbing her purse from her locker.

"You mean Pre-Christmas?" Katherine laughed.

"Well most of us will be working on the 24th," Caroline shrugged.

"You still want Elijah to go even knowing he's Jewish?" Katherine asked amused remembering his face when Caroline invited him to celebrate Jesus' birth in her house and went on and on about how people these days only think about gifts and forgot the most important thing about the holiday.

"Don't remind me," Caroline's face became red as she remembered Elijah uncomfortably explaining that he was Jewish just a few days ago. But that she was right- people forgot what Christmas was really about.

"We'll be there," Katherine smiled to her friend walking away. "But wait, I came to ask if you were joining us today," the brunette turned on her heels.

"I'm not," Caroline offered a small smile, "Rain check?"

"Oh yeah, date night,"

"Something like that," Caroline smiled, and Katherine saw her best friend's face lighting up. Maybe this new guy was indeed more than she initially thought? Caroline definitely didn't glow after making out with Damon Salvatore a couple of months ago.

"At least you're not bailing on us on Christmas… or is he the one you're actually spending Christmas-Christmas night with?"

"Clever, but no, I'm not telling you about him yet," Caroline smiled at her friend knowingly. If Caroline admitted to spending Christmas night with Klaus she knew Katherine would find a way to miss her shift that night and camp outside Caroline's house to see who the guy was. She could pretend all she wanted that she didn't care that Caroline was keeping it a secret, but the blond knew her friend too well to buy Katherine's indifference and coolness about the subject.

"It was just a suggestion. I don't like my best friend ditching me every other Friday," Kat whined playfully.

"I've only bailed on you two Fridays," Caroline shook her head.

"The last two and you know I'll be traveling with Elijah next weekend, so that makes it three," Katherine said dramatically, and Caroline knew it was the trip that was bothering her friend more than anything else. She was nervous about meeting Elijah's family.

"You know I was taking care of Klaus last week, and how can you hold it against me if _you_ won't be here next Friday?" Caroline smirked.

"Who keeps complaining she doesn't know anywhere but New York and Raleigh? You could very well go to England with us. You would love Europe,"

"Katherine, Elijah isn't looking for his family's approval, although that would be nice and I'm sure they'll like you," Caroline moved her hand to best friend's shoulder, knowing that was as much touching the brunette could handle after their Thanksgiving dinner.

"Whatever. Go home and go to your pre-pre-Christmas eve," Katherine rolled her eyes, walking away again.

"What?" Caroline frowned at her friend.

"Bye, Caroline," Katherine offered before leaving the blond in the locker room, who was quickly lost in her thoughts again.

* * *

_AN: Next chapter is all about Christmas, but it won't be written like the Thanksgiving chapter. It's more about Klaroline than all interactions during the celebration. There's a long Calijah (not Kalijah, that you got here ;)) moment coming where they talk about their respective ones and things. And there's something very, very, very, very special coming. Nik is introduced among other things, but not by the person you think. I usually don't like when I read stories where they make sure there's a Niklaus or Nik opposed to a Klaus meaning Klaus is the bad side of Niklaus and that Nik (or even Niklaus) is the good part. In this story that's not the meaning of Klaus being called Nik.__  
_

_I still need a beta to start one of my new stories, so if you're a beta or knows a beta that edits Klaroline stories, please let me know :)  
_

_Thanks a lot for the many reviews, most people voted for **Inevitable**, but want to let you know I'll write the three of them. It's just I'll start with that one. I think this one has 12-15 chapters more... but if I have more betas, I can handle more stories without stopping updating every week.  
_

_Thanks a lot to my current, and lovely, beta **Erin**.  
_

_Have a nice weekend you all. And don't forget to review and make this girl happy :)  
_

_Babi  
_


	15. Chapter XIV

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**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XIV**

* * *

Caroline was thankful for her family absence's along with Rose's the following day. She was having a hard time as it was buying gifts for the people that were actually going to be celebrating Christmas with them. Not including the latter eight, she still had to buy presents for her family, as Miranda had invited her to have lunch with them on Christmas day, on Tuesday. But at least she would have more time. It was the Saturday before Christmas and while she had already bought Bonnie's, Stefan's, Damon's, Elijah's – although she wasn't sure if she should give him a gift or not to start with – Elena's and Katherine's gifts, she had yet to buy Klaus', Alaric's, Isobel's, Meredith's, Anna's, Jeremy's, Miranda's and her father's as well. She was happy she had a day off on the religious holiday instead of New Years. She never really cared about celebrating the start of a new year, but Christmas was her very favorite holiday of the year.

She knew she could buy Alaric's and Isobel's later, but she wanted to go with the whole present opening tradition and the couple was spending the holiday with her, as they had been for as long as she could remember. And then there was Klaus'… she didn't have any idea of what she would buy him… maybe she could ask Elijah? She should have thought of it before, but she was desperate and the millions of people in the mall weren't helping her case.

She decided to call Katherine's apartment. She hoped Elijah was there and would actually answer the phone. She couldn't imagine what Katherine would say when she asked Elijah for help to buy Klaus a present.

"_Hello_," the heart surgeon answered after a few rings.

"Hi, Elijah, it's Caroline, how are you?" she offered.

"_Fine, Caroline, and you?_"

"Desperate," she answered dramatically, leading the man on the other side of the line to chuckle.

"_I'm sorry to inform you, but Katherine is working today,_" he answered, and Caroline nearly slapped her own face. Her head had been in the clouds the past week. Of course she would remember Katherine was working after Elijah mentioned it.

"Actually I wanted to talk to you," Caroline admitted, feeling nervous even though they weren't face to face.

"_I hope I can be useful, how can I help you?_" he asked, amused by how nervous she sounded.

"I tried to buy Klaus a Christmas gift, but nothing seemed appropriate. I feel like I only just realized I don't know anything he likes in addition to drawing and painting, and I don't want to buy him supplies as a gift," she said as she sat in one of the benches outside the mall.

"_You want to buy Niklaus a Christmas gift?_" he asked surprised.

"Oh my God, is he a Jew as well?" she asked, the thought only occurring now to her.

"_As far as I can say, no, Niklaus is probably… nothing, but he used to be a Christian,_" Elijah answered.

"How come? I thought your family was Jewish?" she frowned.

"My _father was Jewish, but my mother is Protestant. Only me and my older brother are Jewish now that my father has passed._" he explained and she breathed relieved.

"Thank God. What's the name of that thing you celebrate by Christmas time? The name is right at the tip of my tongue…"

"_It's called Hanukkah,_"

"Right! Hanukkah! Well we could celebrate that if you want? Maybe we could do a Christmukkah?" belatedly she realized the name had sounded much better in her mind than out loud.

"Don't _worry, Caroline, I won't be uncomfortable exchanging gifts and having dinner. It's only the religious part that bothers me slightly, but I've always respected others beliefs,_" he explained, laughing at her neologism.

"I promise not to mention Jesus… much," she offered awkwardly, leading Elijah to chuckle louder.

"_Fret not, Caroline. Now if I understand, you want to buy Niklaus a gift? Are you at the mall?_" he asked, deducing she was by the loud noise he could hear through the phone.

"More like the ninth circle of hell," she answered annoyed by the amount of people there. She was a doctor; she had a very plausible excuse to be doing this last minute shopping. What were their excuses?

"_Why don't you come over and we buy something on the internet? I'm sure we'll find a way to find something that can be delivered by the 25__th__,_"

"No! I want to exchange the gifts tomorrow!" she whined and he shook his head smiling quietly.

"Would _you still come? I guess I might need your help… your opinion actually and then we'll research for Niklaus' gift and you can buy it today or tomorrow. What do you think?_" he suggested, just thinking about how Caroline could also be useful to him.

"Do you have food? I'm starving and the lines at the food court were unbelievable," she asked, standing up to leave the crowded mall.

"_Yes, Caroline, I have lunch leftovers,_" he smiled once again.

She informed him she would arrive in thirty minutes – depending on the traffic to _reach_ her car – and they hung up.

* * *

While Caroline stressed herself over what to buy to Klaus, he did the same at home. Of course he had already bought a book for her that he would give her the following day when everyone would exchange gifts—but he wanted to give her something more personal in private. And since they seemed to be keeping their relationship private he couldn't exactly give her his second gift in front of all their friends. Didn't want to come off as suspicious...either way, he wanted to do something special for her, but he just didn't know _what_. He wasn't good at these things. He had never given a gift to a girlfriend. In fact he had never had a girlfriend. He didn't know how to make romantic speeches or write lovely letters and he didn't know if she liked these things. He only knew how to show his feelings through his kisses and touches, worshiping her like she deserved. He didn't know much more in addition to these but he wanted to. She deserved it. As far as he could say Mason hadn't done many things for her either and she mentioned once that the neurosurgeon had been the only boyfriend she had ever really had.

He decided to Google his options, but even finding the best key words were hard. Frustrated, he ended up typing in 'girlfriend Christmas gift' and prepared himself for the worst. Surprisingly he wasn't too off target.

_Flowers_. "Too obvious," he said out loud as he started reading the suggestions.

_Chocolate_. "She already eats enough junk food."

_Teddy bears_. "Corny."

_The three of them together_. "Too corny."

_Take her out on a special dinner._ "We've done nothing but eat out for the past five months, no thanks,"

_Buy her new lingerie_. "…now, that's interesting thought,"

_Jewelry._ "Maybe, but I'll need to sell some paintings to pay the credit card bill," he said wanting to smack himself for being so stupid. He had been doing nothing but staying at home painting, and still he hadn't contacted his friend to sell some of them. It should have been a no brainer, especially as the Christmas rush set in. But if he was honest with himself he hadn't really thought much about anything. The days he spent with Caroline were filled with something completely new to Klaus. He was happy, he felt joyful and when he wasn't kissing her, a smile was stamped on his face.

He continued browsing, reading stupid thing after stupid thing or presents that were too expensive. It was the first time he considered his trust fund after perusing past an expensive set of earrings. His mother had insisted he used it when he visited last summer. But he had survived the last ten years without it; he could survive another ten until he would finally be making money from his surgical career.

He decided to also browse birthday gifts, hoping to find something people wouldn't think appropriate for Christmas. It also reminded him he had no idea when her birthday was. He was positive it was close, as he didn't remember people celebrating it during their first year, and he had only just started getting closer to the others a little after New Year's.

After what felt like hours, he finally found what he had been looking for. He would have to pretend the book was his only gift or at least tease her about her other gift not arriving on time — or for another couple of weeks. It was better if he kept it quiet, he decided. Caroline was impossible when she was curious and he knew she would resort to torture if needed.

* * *

An hour later Caroline was finally parking her car in front of Elijah's building. She hated crowded malls, and it took her almost twenty minutes to reach her car and get out of the damned parking lot.

"Let's start with the food, please," she said as soon as he opened the door leading the surgeon to chuckle.

"Be my guest, Caroline," he said, moving aside and stretching his hand out for her to enter.

"Ugh! The whole city has decided today was the best day to Christmas shop. I'm a doctor, I work _a thousand_ hours a week, I'm entitled to be late," she rambled as she walked around the apartment, putting her purse on the counter, before she took a seat.

"Which is why I buy everything I need on the internet," he said walking around the counter and opening the fridge to get out some food.

"Do you want help?" she asked, calming herself down a little bit.

"No, it's just a few Tupperware's. Make yourself a plate and I'll put it in the microwave," he answered as he continued taking the small containers from the refrigerator.

"Have you recently hosted a banquet I wasn't invited to?" she asked surprised as he balanced at least six plastic containers.

"I do like to cook," he shrugged, and she followed suit, as he placed all the food in front of her and turned to get her a plate and silverware.

"Katherine is one lucky bitch," Caroline chuckled, not even realizing the slang she avoided using around Elijah. He was too formal and polite for her to ever be sassy around. But her appetite released her usual stopper.

"Is that a compliment?" he chuckled and she felt her cheeks becoming red.

"Sorry, I didn't… I mean, it's just a man who can cook… Katherine can't cook for her life… and you two,"

"Caroline, I'm not serious," he smiled placing many spoons in front of her as well as a plate, a fork and a knife.

"Is Damon helping you tomorrow?"

"Yes, we've been exchanging e-mails about a few dishes. He has some family dishes he wants to do, but he doesn't want to share his _secret_ recipes," Elijah shook his head slightly.

"Are you two, badass surgeons exchanging culinary e-mails?"

"Why is that so amusing, Ms. Forbes?" he asked waiting for her to finish making her plate for him to heat up.

"It's just… well, I love Damon and all, but the only thing I expect to find in his inbox is porn and fuck book invitations," she shrugged with a smirk as she dangled her full plate out for Elijah to take.

"And me?" he asked curious.

"Medicine Digest e-mails?"

"Trust me, the last thing I want to do in my free time is think about medicine," he leaned on the sink counter as he waited for the microwave.

"It makes sense," she said, salivating when she heard the buzz coming from the appliance. It smelt ridiculously good, and if Thanksgiving was any indication, she was sure the food was amazing.

"If Kat gets fat she's going to kill you," she commented as he opened the fridge and showed her wine and soda. She tilted her head toward the alcohol, leading him to put the soda away.

"She has a fast metabolism," he offered, pouring them a glass of wine. He wasn't hungry at all, but he wouldn't pass up a glass of wine.

"Are you giving Klaus something?" she asked after a couple of silent minutes. The food was indeed exquisite and it was hard to stop using her mouth to savor it instead of anything else.

"Yes, I bought him a portrait," he said.

"A portrait?" she asked curious.

"With a family picture," he completed.

"An old one?" she asked, thinking it was really thoughtful from Elijah.

"Actually no, a new one, when Mikael died we were finally reunited again, and we took a picture with all of us," he explained, and Caroline thought it was odd that he didn't see a bit sad talking about his father's death.

"But he wasn't there," she frowned, not knowing why he would he give Klaus a reminder he wasn't part of the family anymore.

"No, he wasn't. But he'll know we're still his family. My mother mentioned meeting him last summer and that Kol also wants to meet up with him," Elijah smiled slowly.

"It's good to know you're willing to forgive him," she offered, not wanting to ask any more questions about their family feud. Now that she and Klaus were together she wanted him to be the one to share those things with her.

"We all make mistakes, and we lost too much in our family, Klaus is actually alive _and living_. It's about time we reunite again," Elijah offered with a small and nervous smile.

"So Katherine said you're going to London next week," Caroline decided to use the opening to continue working on her plans to reconcile Klaus with his family.

"Yes, I'll introduce her to my mother," he sipped some of his wine.

"Maybe Klaus should go with you to visit as well," she suggested.

"I don't think he's ready for that," Elijah said with sorrow. He knew his brother was complex and wasn't good at dealing with emotions, his own in particular. If he was having a hard time with Elijah, he would feel overwhelmed by the whole family.

"He did go there last summer," the blond pointed out the obvious fact Elijah didn't seem to take into consideration.

"And only visited in his last day before coming back," he informed. She thought Klaus had spent his whole time with his mother.

"But he stayed there almost three weeks," she offered.

"Exactly," Elijah nodded his head slightly and she finally understood.

"Baby steps," she smiled weakly.

"More food?" he asked realizing she finished.

"No, thanks, it was great by the way,"

"Thank you,"

"So let's start operation Christmas gift?" she asked excitedly as she refilled her glass of wine and walked towards the living room.

"What's your budget and intention for my brother's gift?" he asked.

"I didn't really have a budget in mind, but I want it to be special," she offered a big smile, and Elijah actually stopped for a moment to look more carefully at her, but he didn't say anything.

"There aren't many things my brother likes," he said taking a notepad and a pen.

"I'd say medicine, his art, food, alcohol," she thought out loud while Elijah wrote it down.

"I'd add horses, traveling, women, and music," he added to the list, handing it to her.

"He loves classic music," she smiled, remembering him painting while hearing Mozart and Chopin.

"And English rock," Elijah also smiled over his own memories.

"Yes," Caroline chuckled, being surprised by him listening to Rolling Stones while painting.

"I could tell you his favorites, although his taste may have changed in ten years," Elijah suggested, but Caroline immediately shook her head negatively.

"Nah, I don't want to buy a CD or a DVD. I want something meaningful,"

"I'd suggest something in any of those categories… I don't know if he likes something else,"

"He likes to watch my mother's tapes, but that's about as much as medicine he can take while out of the hospital," Caroline added, and it really didn't surprise Elijah. He and Klaus had always had a lot in common.

"By the way, you can take back the ones Katherine brought last week. We already watched it," he said, reaching for the DVD's discs in the rack.

"I thought only she watched them?" she asked curiously, especially after he admitted just minutes ago he didn't like to do work related things in his free time.

"It's Liz, a legend, it's my version of entertaining television," he shrugged.

"You said the last thing you do when you're free is think of medicine," she smirked, shaking her head slightly. All doctors were dorks on the inside, especially the ones like Elijah. She shouldn't be surprised.

"Just like I said, entertaining television," he said casually.

"You're such a nerd," she said and he only shrugged. "I'd write medicine, music, horses, food and girls off," she said, grimacing at the last word she crossed.

"It leaves us with art, alcohol and traveling," he took a peak at the other items in the list.

"But does he like other works of art or does he only enjoy creating his own?" she asked curious. That was something she wanted to ask him, but she always forgot.

"I suppose he may like some artists as well, but I have no idea about it. Can't help you there,"

"Alcohol?" he suggested after a couple of minutes. "He likes bourbon," he smiled remembering when he introduced the strong beverage to his underage brother. Klaus had been surprised his always politically correct brother would do such a thing, but still Elijah did it.

"He already drinks too much, I'm not going to help him with that," Caroline shook her head also crossing the item.

"So that leaves us with traveling,"

"Which also sucks since we don't have many days-off and he still has to make up for a month of sick leave," she answered frustrated seeing they weren't making any progress. She had really hoped Elijah would be able to help her.

"I could still give you some bands and music artists he likes," he suggested, not really understanding why she couldn't settle for what most people chose as Christmas gifts. Unless…

"Why does he have to be so complicated?" she sighed, leaning against the couch, getting rid of the notepad.

"I think he might be thinking the same about you at this moment," Elijah offered.

"Why?"

"Because he also has to buy you something,"

"I don't think Klaus is the kind of guy who buys presents, let alone stresses himself out over it," she offered, actually believing the words she said. She wasn't expecting any gifts from him. Actually she hoped he would at least buy his brother something. It would mean a lot to Elijah.

"For you he will," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why?"

"Because I've seen the way he looks at you, Caroline," he offered her a small smile.

"Oh," she said quietly. She wanted to tell him they were together now, but she knew Katherine would never forgive her for telling Elijah before she told her and she wasn't ready to tell her best friend. She had an idea of what to expect.

"And I have a guess about your mysterious man," he watched her reaction carefully.

"You do?" she tried to cover her nerves. She knew Elijah was very smart and if she wasn't careful he would figure things out promptly.

"Yes. But I'm not going to torture you anymore. Are you and my brother involved, Caroline?" he surprised her. How could he have guessed it? Was she that transparent? But then why hadn't Katherine said a thing? Her friend was also very observant.

"When you ask it like that…" she answered blushing slightly.

"I'll take as a yes?" he raised his eyebrow at her, sort of challenging her to admit it.

"Please don't tell Kat I told you," she pleaded. She knew Katherine would be hurt if she told someone before she told her. It was childish, but Caroline knew her best friend. She was possessive and liked her territory, even as a best friend, to be marked and respected.

"You actually didn't, I figured it out," he chuckled at her reaction. He had just guessed she was in a relationship with his brother, and her first concern was Katherine's reaction.

"Did you tell her about your suspicions?" she asked with a hopeful smile in her face.

"No, and if I had she wouldn't believe it," he answered, and she actually sighed relieved.

"Klaus may look at me in a different way as you say, but I could still not be interested, how did you come to that conclusion?" she asked, trying to understand which signs she was showing that she should be more careful about.

"Because since he was shot the way you look at him changed as well," he offered, sipping a little bit more of his wine.

"You're quite the observer, aren't you?" she smiled, and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"So, any ideas?" he asked, but she just sighed frustrated. Why did it have to be so complicated?

"When is his birthday?" she changed the subject.

"May sixteenth," he answered frowning at the sudden change of subject.

"Thank God it's far,"

"Valentine's day though is just around the corner," he smiled at her logic.

"One date at a time," she said more to herself than him.

"You were the one to mention birthdays," he chuckled, watching as she downed the rest of her wine.

"You said you wanted my help as well. Haven't you bought Kat's gift yet?" she changed the subject again, though this time she was trying to distract herself from her frustration.

"Oh, I did, but that's not what I want your opinion about," he said, standing up and going to the kitchen, where he opened one of the cupboards, taking a box from the bottom, and moving it to the counter. He then removed a smaller box from inside it, and walked back to the living room.

"I didn't have a clue about what to get since Katherine doesn't wear any jewelry, which is why I wanted your opinion. I could still exchange it," he said slightly nervous, while Caroline nodded.

She hadn't expected to see an engagement ring inside. The blond widened her eyes, moving her hand to cover her mouth, but unable to say something seeing the Cartier jewelry box.

"Elijah," she said after long seconds.

"I guess the word you're looking for is OMG," he smiled, taking it as a good sign that she was so surprised, but apparently, positively surprised.

"OMG indeed!" Caroline said, grabbing the box from his hand to inspect it closely.

"I already pre-proposed I think test-driving the engagement ring would be too anticlimactic, and Katherine sometimes is too hard to read. What do you think? Is it too small? Too big? Too flashy?" he asked, and now he was fully nervous.

Caroline eyed the ring carefully. It was a platinum band with an oval diamond in the center, with pave set diamonds surrounding it.

"It's perfect, actually," she offered him a sweet smile. She could only imagine how happy Katherine would be in a few days.

"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked, still unsure of his choice.

"There's no way someone wouldn't like this ring, Elijah," Caroline offered, her eyes still glued to the jewel.

"Are you sure?" he said, looking at the ring, having second thoughts about it. But then again, he had been having second thoughts about it since he left the store.

"Positive. Are you going to propose in England?" she finally looked up at him.

"Yes,"

"I'm happy for you guys," she offered him a big smile.

"Thank you, Caroline. I'm happy for you and Niklaus as well," he answered matching her features.

"And you just gave me the perfect idea," she smiled, handing the box back to him.

"And what is that?" he asked curious. How could an engagement ring help her?

"Surprise, now I'm going to get going because I have a lot of stores to check if I want to find the perfect one. Thanks for lunch, make sure to take a picture when she sees it, I want to see her face," she said embracing him, while he kissed both her cheeks.

"Say hi to my brother," he offered a small smile.

"I will,"

* * *

The official Christmas dinner with her friends had been perfect. Everyone was happy, and she could see Klaus and Elijah getting closer to each other. The brothers exchanged gifts, much to her surprise and Elijah's astonishment. He didn't expect his younger brother to do it, but he was happy, especially because if had been a very thoughtful present. Just like Elijah's had been. Klaus had painted a beautiful painting of his brother and his girlfriend. He said he would make a bigger one because he had to do it while sitting on his bed, and he couldn't manage to do a decent sized painting while sitting.

Elijah had tears in his eyes, and even Katherine had been touched by the gift. She had to admit, Klaus was very talented. The painting of her resting her head on his shoulder while Elijah kissed her head was a beautiful one, while standing with their backs to the painter and surrounded by darkness except for the limited moonlight. There were many stars in the background and even without showing their faces nobody had a doubt it was Elijah and Katherine. Klaus had a way to capture not only a person's physical traces, but their auras as well. The way his brother wrapped his arm around Katherine and the way the brunette women leaned on him — it was certainly Elijah and Katherine.

When Caroline had opened her gift she had been honestly surprised to see that he had only got her a book, but she didn't make a comment about it. She had put a lot of effort to finally find a necklace she hoped was to his taste. She loved his necklaces, they were part of who Klaus was and she wanted him to remember her when he wore the one she gave to him. He seemed to be very happy about it and for a moment she felt slightly jealous of Elijah. Of course she was happy Klaus was finally trying to get closer to his brother, but she felt like he didn't put any effort at all into her own present, while he made his best for his brother. She felt unappreciated. Many people could think she was childish or even attached to material things, but it wasn't about that. Caroline was one of those people that thought gifts were a representation of love.

It wasn't like they were the love story of the century. Actually, she thought that love might be too much of a strong word to describe what they felt, and she particularly loathed when people used such a powerful word so loosely. She just couldn't tell how deep her feelings were. But still, exchanging gifts was an important way of showing affection to Caroline Forbes, and the lack of thought Klaus put into her present actually hurt her. She knew she shouldn't feel like that, but she also couldn't help her feelings.

Today there would be more gift exchanges at her father's house and her hopes of him giving something special to her today vanished the moment he entered the car with no package in hands.

"We never really talked about Elena," she said, not knowing why she was talking about her sister now.

"I think Elevator Gate of 2012 was solely about Elena," he answered, knowing quite well what she meant.

"She fell for you," Caroline blurted out. She knew she was breaking Elena's trust in that moment, but all of sudden she was feeling insecure about Klaus.

"I don't think so, sweetheart," he offered quietly, although he knew Elena was actually closer to him than most women he slept with in the past.

"She said so, she told me," Caroline said, and for the first time since she started dating Klaus she realized maybe she was going to hurt her sister's feelings.

"I didn't fall for her, Caroline. I already told you, I slept with her before I even knew she was your sister. You went out a couple of times afterwards, but that's it," he sighed. He hated himself for ever getting remotely close to Elena. Their exchange when the elevator broke was before they were together and he knew sooner or later it would come back. He knew it hurt Caroline and he couldn't forgive himself for that.

"She's still my sister Klaus," she said in a small voice.

"And I'm sorry. I know that's not something to take easily and I feel like a jerk for having done it, but I can't change the past, love. I really hope this won't become a problem between us," he offered, but he knew it wasn't enough.

"It's something that bothers me," she admitted.

"I know it does. It's something that bothers _me_," he reached for her hand, trying to reassure her, but he knew there was really nothing he could do to make her feel better about it.

"I feel like I stole my sister's boyfriend," Caroline finally admitted, and Klaus closed his eyes. That was the last thing he wanted her to feel. He knew how loyal and selfless Caroline was. If there was one thing that could break them apart before they even properly started was her bad conscience about Elena's feelings. He knew his girlfriend was putting a lot of effort into fixing her relationship with her family, and he knew it was very important to her. Probably more important to him and in that moment his heart dropped thinking that if came down to choosing, she would probably choose her family over him.

"I was _never_ her boyfriend, Caroline," Klaus said with conviction in that heavy low voice, "you didn't steal anything except for my heart," Caroline felt her heart skip a beat and appreciated the words. Klaus had only said it because it was the only thing that was there to be said. But he also knew it wouldn't make much of a difference, or so he thought.

"Still, she fell for you,"

"And I fell for you. It's an unfortunate turn of events that I happen to have slept with your sister and now you and I are together. But we shouldn't allow this to destroy what we have here. I could apologize to you and Elena a thousand times and it still wouldn't erase what happened. I wish there as a way for me to fix it, but there isn't. I can only ask for your forgiveness and hope you can at least ignore it, if the action can't actually be forgotten," he said adamantly, and only wanting to acquit himself from his past deeds.

"How am I supposed to go to her house, see her being happy from your presence along? How am I supposed to see her smiling at you and see her face light up just like every other time it does when you're around her, and not feel bad about it?" Caroline asked, and he could sense her emotions building up and the tension in the car rose as she continued to drag out the subject.

"You could have said it before, sweetheart, I told you I didn't mind staying at home," he said now equally frustrated. Caroline quickly realized he was losing his patience.

"No one should spend Christmas alone at home," she whispered, repeating the argument she used to convince him to go in the first place.

"You love Christmas, you spent a whole weekend decorating the house, you celebrated it Sunday, yesterday and are about to do it again today. I don't want to ruin it for you, love," he let go of her hand and Caroline felt hurt and rejected, even if it wasn't rational to feel like that, if anything he was rejecting _himself_. She couldn't realize how deeply Mason had damaged her. She was insecure, afraid, paranoid and easily hurt since the neurosurgeon broke her heart.

"Which is why I'm spending it with you. Which is why I wanted it to be only you and me yesterday and why I'm bringing you to _my_ family's gathering," she answered, completely forgetting about Elena. She was already too distracted by her pain and his own to remember his previous affairs with her sister had initiated the conversation that was hurting them both.

"I'd rather you to be happy, joyful and smiling when I'm not around than to have you miserable with me by your side," he turned to look at the cars outside while she drove.

"I can't be happy, joyful or cheery if you aren't around, Nik, can't you understand that?"

"What did you just say?" he asked with in a small hopeful voice hesitantly turning to look at her.

"I'm saying… I'm saying that I'm in love with you," Caroline felt a weight lift off her shoulder as she finished her confession she had no idea she'd been holding onto. They sat in silence for a moment as she parked the car in front of Grayson's house, before looking him in the eye, "I love you."

"What did you just call me?" he asked. Caroline felt herself flush in indignation.

"I say I'm _in love with you_ and the only thing you recall is that I called you Nik? Are you serious?" she cried out in frustration as she went to open her door. But Klaus was quick enough to stop her as he leaned in closer to her.

"Say it again," his voice containing a mixture of plea and command. But his eyes were begging her, but lost in her disappointment she didn't take note.

"Which part?" she asked, tears threatening to fall. She was more confused and hurt than ever, although she couldn't understand why she was so sensitive to start with.

"Both," he whispered, and just then she realized how vulnerable he had become all of sudden.

"I'm in love you, Nik," before she could react, his arms were wrapped around her body and she felt even more lost than before.

"I love you so much," he said, hugging her tighter, the seat belt almost choking him.

"Did you hear the rest of it?" she asked.

"I'm sorry I'm ruining it for you," he broke apart from their embrace remembering he was once again ruining something that was so perfect to him, that he was once again hurting someone he loved.

"You would never ruin anything for me, I just don't understand why it's such a big deal that I called you Nik," she offered, trying to read the emotions she had been oblivious to before.

"Because it's been too many years since someone has called me that," he looked ahead of him, seeing Rebekah saying similar words to him with a big smile on her face. She always said how much she loved him.

"And who used to?" Caroline asked quietly seeing he was on verge of tears.

"My baby sister," he said, and one tear rolled down.

Caroline didn't want to take advantage of his moment of vulnerability, but since the first time she had tried to help him while he was having nightmares and violence fits one word had been bugging her. And although she didn't want to hurt him, she also had to know. She wanted to help him. She wanted him whole and healed, completely happy, instead of this momentary contentment. She knew he was much better now than when she had first met him, but he still had nightmares, he still called for Bekah and most importantly, she could still see the pain, the guilt and the despair in his eyes every now and then.

"Rebekah?" she asked quietly, hoping she wasn't overstepping her boundaries, and that Bekah was indeed short for Rebekah.

He didn't answer, or seemed surprised at the mention of the name, but after a few moments, he looked away, while nodding his head positively.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know, I won't say it again," she said, guilty for hurting him, for bringing memories she was too sure still haunted him, even if she had not a clue of what happened to his sister.

"I've never allowed anyone else to call me that since her," he looked back at her, tears now freely running down his face, "But when you said it… the way you said it…" his voice embargoed and he swallowed the lump in his throat, in a way even Caroline noticed.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me," she said unbuckling her seat belt, and doing the same for him to embrace him more fully.

"Please, say it all again," he asked and she felt his grip intensifying to the point of almost bruising her.

"I'm in love with you. I've been falling for you for what seems like the longest time and it may seem sudden or crazy, but I'm sure of it," she said, but felt his head shaking slightly.

"Call me that, say it calling me that," he insisted, and she finally surrendered. She had understood what he meant the first time he asked, but she didn't want to keep hitting the wound.

"I love you, Nik," she whispered, and his grip on her body increased, if possible, even more. And while she felt him holding onto her for his life she wondered what had happened to Rebekah. She wished she was wrong, but by the few words she caught from his nightmares and the way both he and Elijah reacted at the mention of her, Caroline was positive their sister was also dead.

* * *

_AN: The Elenaphant in the room continues to cause trouble between them, but the worst is yet to come. As Klaus said there's nothing that can be done now. He slept with her sister. It's been unfortunate and they won't forget it easily. I suppose there's no way to forget such information easily, right?_

_ILY's exchange, I loved to write this last part. And I wanted Caroline to call him Nik because she likes it, not because she heard someone in his family calling him that and she liked and started using. I loved writing Calijah. They're so funny together. He's so serious and stoic and she's so cheery and relaxed. It's funny, especially when he's stoically teasing her. I love it.  
_

_I'm still hunting for a new beta for my new stories. I found one, but she's not comfortable editing XVIII century stories, so I still need a beta for **Inevitable.**  
_

_Huge thanks to my lovely beta... She's the best, I love her... too bad she doesn't have time to edit more stories :P  
_

_Special thanks to my reviewers. Guys, you make me really happy. Keep them coming, more and more I'd say ;)  
_

_Next: Klaus lies to Caroline; Caroline makes an important decision about their relationship status; things get complicated.  
_

_Talk to you soon,  
_

_Bárbara  
_


	16. Chapter XV

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XIV**

* * *

Caroline didn't have a clue of why he was reacting the way he was, but it seemed the nickname triggered something inside Klaus. Seeing he needed her, she informed her family she would be late. She struggled to send a text to Elena while she still held Klaus outside her family's house, but she finally did. It was weird to refer to Grayson, Miranda and the siblings as her family, but they had welcomed her with open arms, and too quickly they had became the most attentive and caring people she had had the pleasure of knowing. Especially Miranda. She didn't expect her estranged father's wife to be so warm and caring towards her, but Caroline suspected it had to do with Miranda's own guilty conscience that motivated her.

Klaus spent at least another couple of minutes attached to his girlfriend's body until she felt his grip loosen up, albeit slowly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, his eyes closed, still teary.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," she offered, kissing his head.

"I feel like one of those foolish girls in the movies you love, and that's not exactly good for my ego," he smirked, trying to regain his composure. He didn't want to talk about what just happened, and he was all too happy to hear her say the words he had been hoping for months. In all actuality he was surprised it had only taken her a couple of weeks, but it didn't matter. She finally felt the same way as him.

"Shut up, I'm the one uttering cheesy love declarations," she smiled, and they finally broke apart, both with smiles on their faces, and covering the overwhelming emotional messes they were inside.

"But I got in the cliché part just fine by asking you to repeat it not only once, but twice," he shook his head slightly.

"Well, bottom line, I love you and _I _want to hear _you_ say it again," she grinned in a way that warmed his heart, and that was highly contagious because he couldn't stop his lips from curving as far as they could.

"I love you, sweetheart," he said before kissing her slowly, to show her his words were true. It was a deep and intense kiss, and they were momentarily lost in their feelings.

"I should probably fix my makeup," she chuckled once they broke apart.

"Sorry for ruining it for you, love," he said, although they both knew he wasn't.

"The red lipstick is not helping my cause, here, take one and clean yourself, you're a mess, a hot, delicious mess, and if I keep staring at your impossibly red lips I won't leave the car this year," she handed him her box of tissues.

"Maybe I should wear lipstick more often?" he wriggled his eyebrows.

"I meant your impossibly _natural_ red lips. The lipstick is actually all over your skin, making me have very naughty thoughts," she said reapplying her concealer.

"Be my guest, love," he said cleaning his face.

"Twenty-two more days," she winked before continuing, "And yes, I'm counting. Anxiously counting."

"I thought you were too smart to be seduced by me?"

"And who said I'm the one being seduced here? I'm part of a Dirty Mistress Club, VP actually," she smiled naughtily at him before opening her door and hopping outside. She knew she should put some distance between them otherwise they would spend the rest of the day in her car.

"Can't wait to make acquaintance with that side of you, love," he said, also stepping out of the car, helping her to get the many gifts from the backseat.

* * *

They spent the afternoon with her family and everything was uneventful and quite pleasing. She really felt welcomed by her new family and although they weren't close yet, she knew it would only be a matter of time. It made her think about her last conversation with Katherine. When did she become the person who embraces people? Who let them in easily and eagerly?

Elena didn't seem to care too much about Klaus' presence and Caroline was actually thankful for that. The brunette – like herself – seemed to be too much into the Christmas spirit and was enjoying the family reunion more than anyone else. Caroline could see a lot of herself in Elena, except the intern was more carefree and certainly not as damaged as the blond. She wondered if someday she would become close to Elena, but then she looked to her side to see Klaus and she had doubts. If she had to make a choice what would it be? Her family or her boyfriend? She knew it wasn't really the case, but she also knew her relationship with him could bring a rift in the relationship with her half-sister and who was to say how big the damage would be? What if Grayson took Elena's side and kept his distance? It would probably be the case, after all, Elena was the daughter he loved his whole life.

But if Caroline was honest with herself it deeply bothered her that Elena and Klaus had slept together before. She knew she couldn't hold it against him, especially since the first time had been before he knew who Elena was. She didn't even have a say in the other two times. They weren't dating at the time, far from it actually, and nobody could predict that she would fall in love with him. But knowing she couldn't hold it against him didn't make it any less awkward and hurtful. It was her sister! How can someone be with the man that slept with their sister? Any yet, how could she _not_ be with Klaus? Those thoughts crossed her mind a few times; her mind continuously circling back to the same thing, and it scared her. She had become so dependent and connected to Klaus in such a small period of time. But again, if she was honest with herself, she had seen it coming long before they had officially gotten together.

She may have only addressed and acted on her feelings recently, but Klaus had become her shelter for quite some time. Her home. Their connection had deepened months ago and now it was only love blossoming out of it. The way she felt about him and with him was something she had never experienced before, not even with Mason. She was fairly aware she had loved Mason more than she currently loved Klaus, but it didn't mean their connection was weaker than the one she had with her previous boyfriend. What she had with Klaus was nearly impossible to describe and explain. She knew he could touch her soul in a way no one had before him. He made her feel safe, and not only because he protected her. It was also the way he gave her space and encouragement to deal with things only she could deal with, despite being overprotective.

She remembered how he had allowed her to talk to Miranda the first time the brunette approached her. He could have stopped them in the middle of the hallway, but he didn't. He sent her a message asking if she needed help. He had encouraged her to talk to Elena, to her father. He had supported her when he knew she needed it and he had her take care of her own when he felt she could. He was enabling. She was finally recovering some of her past confidence, but she knew she had always had insecurity issues, even before Mason. Maybe those days would be left behind, and now more than ever she thought about Katherine's suggestion for her to seek a shrink. Klaus would be there, helping her through and she would finally be the woman she knew she could be. The woman she wanted to be, the woman she aspired to be like Serena, Katherine and even Rose. Under the sweetness and kindness Rose was one of the most confident and strongest women Caroline had ever met, and she knew she could be like that as well. She just needed someone to believe in her and she had found that in Klaus. She had found _everything_ she needed in him. A friend, a partner, a protector, a motivator, a boyfriend, a lover… looking at him briefly while she drove them home she realized the man smiling back at her _became_ her everything and there was nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

* * *

Caroline was going crazy. Katherine and Bonnie didn't do anything else in the last few weeks but ask about her boyfriend. Caroline decided to ignore the problem. Klaus was still at home and there was no reason for her to break the news if they weren't going to be together in front of everyone. But he was coming back to work in a couple of days and still she didn't have a clue of how she was going to break the news. She knew it made no sense to hide it, but she knew there would be backlash, even if it was no one's business but hers and Klaus'.

"Is it a girl? Been there, done that, I know you Care, there's no way you'd like it," Katherine offered as they sat to have lunch.

"What? No! No vagina's monologue," Caroline grimaced. Her friend was right, the blond enjoyed men too much to even consider women an option.

"So what? Is he creepy and you're ashamed?" Katherine smirked. She had been waiting for weeks for Caroline to say something, but now even _she_ was curious about it. But Bonnie was the one driving Caroline crazy with the many questions.

"It's complicated. Things are just fine the way they are," Caroline sighed trying to dodge the questions, but she had seen Katherine's inquiries intensifying the past few days and she knew her best friend would pester her about it until she was satisfied.

"How's the sex?" Bonnie asked, with a big smile. If Caroline wasn't going to spill the beans about her mysterious' man identity the least she could do was talk about the sordid details.

"We didn't… I mean he doesn't… it's complicated," Caroline hesitated to answer, blushing at the admission.

"Are you dating a priest?" Katherine asked shocked.

"Ew. No!" the blond answered, pulling a disgusted face.

"You've been dating him for weeks, how can _you _not have had sex yet?!"

"When you were with Mason you guys were like bunnies, I'm surprised it took all those months for someone to catch you doing the nasty," Bonnie smirked, taking another bite of her sandwich.

"I'm not telling you guys so just drop it. We're taking things slow, we're testing the waters. When I'm ready to tell you guys, I will," she said the moment Elena joined them in the table.

"Are you trying to figure out the mysterious guy?" the intern asked, chuckling.

"Being annoying and nosy, that's what you mean," Caroline answered, facing the real reason why she had yet to tell her friends she and Klaus were together. She had avoided talking to Elena about him and the brunette didn't initiate any conversation regarding him either. It was sort of a relief to Caroline and she hoped it meant Elena wasn't actually in love with him, just infatuated or a crush.

"I don't know what big the deal is to be honest, Care. You're almost thirty, you're an adult. Teenagers need time to figure things out. Unless it's a prohibited relationship, there's nothing you should try to hide about it. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't. It happens to everyone," Katherine tried to reason with her friend, but Caroline wasn't having it.

"So let me be a teenager, Ms. I-am-adult-and-engaged," Caroline rolled her eyes, not really wanting the conversation to continue, especially with Elena in the table.

"Give her a break guys. It can't be worse than what I've heard about Mason," Elena tried to help her sister, but she was actually making it worse because being with Klaus _was_ worse than being with Mason because she knew she would hurt her sister.

"Oh, I'm sure it's worse, Caroline wouldn't be hiding this guy like the Holy Grail if there wasn't a reason for him to be mysterious in the first place," Katherine watched her friend's reaction closely and indeed Caroline seemed uncomfortable by her words.

"I think I've officially lost my appetite," the blue-eyed resident said, before leaving the other three women behind.

* * *

"Hey," Rose offered, as Caroline approached the nurse station.

"Hi," Caroline answered curtly.

"Did you even have lunch? It isn't even fifteen minutes since I dismissed you," the attending doctor asked.

"Katherine and Bonnie are driving me crazy. They don't seem to understand that when you don't want to talk about something you just don't." Caroline said frustrated.

"Oh, they're still bothering you about your mysterious guy?" Rose asked curious.

"How do you know about it?" Caroline asked shocked.

Rose laughed lightly, "There's a poll going on about it," the attending doctor smirked and shook her head slightly.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Caroline answered angrily. Of course there would be something like that at the Presbyterian. It was more than expected. She was positive none of her close friends said a thing about it, but the nurses seemed to have supernatural hearing.

"Damon actually bet fifty bucks," Rose offered, trying to hold back her smile. She knew Caroline would be angry about it, but someone had to tell her.

"Seriously? People in this hospital should care about their own lives and their patients', not mine," the blond answered annoyed.

"Oh, and there are a couple of people betting on patients," the pediatrician said, before she could stop herself, but the glare Caroline sent her way, made Rose become serious.

"Let them be, Caroline. If you're happy and you seem to be, just let them be," Rose tried to soothe the resident. It seemed like she was much more affected by it than Rose had expected, especially considering who the guy was.

"It's just… I know once it gets out it won't be easy," Caroline partially confessed her fears, but she wasn't about to open up to Rose of all people.

"I date a manwhore Caroline, a manwhore for God's sake and I don't care. I have the best sex I've ever had and he makes me laugh. A lot. So let it be," the pediatrician insisted, misunderstanding the meaning behind Caroline's words.

"How you guys are doing?"

"We're fine. We just have lots of fun. We need to have fun, Caroline. We need to make up for the time we were sleeping over biology and anatomy books while people were having fun. We have the rest of our lives to grow. Just have some fun," Rose answered somewhat excited about the prospect of just having fun.

"I guess you're right," Caroline said after thinking about it for the thousandth time. She couldn't keep their relationship a secret forever. In less than a week Klaus would be coming back to the hospital and she knew he wouldn't like to keep it a secret, especially if he knew the reasons why she didn't want to tell people about them. They were in love and she wouldn't give up on him because of Elena. _Nobody does that, right?–_she asked to herself.

"I am. I mean I loved Mason and we were married for eight years. He was the great guy that totally broke me because I thought he was the guy would never break me. Now I'm with Damon and I know he's just a womanizer, so what can I expect? Nothing. What can I get? Everything. I mean whatever he gives me it's betterthan I'm expecting, it's win-win situation," Rose offered, hoping she would encourage Caroline to make a decision.

"But what if he really can't give you anything?" Caroline asked, although she was positive Klaus would give her everything she had ever wanted.

"Then enjoy the fun and the sex as long as you can, but Caroline they will. Sex and fun it's all they've ever had. Then they meet the one woman that shows them that it could be much more," the hazel-eyed doctor continued her speech.

"And how do you know?" Caroline asked, because if she was honest, sometimes those things crossed her mind. What if Klaus got tired of her? What if he realized he couldn't have only one woman?

"Let him make the move. You'll realize when they change,"

"Is Damon making the 'moves'?" Caroline asked curious, also not wanting to go there with Klaus, at least not yet.

"In fact he is, but I'm pretending not to see it. I'm all for the fun. I always took things very seriously in my life. Maybe eventually I would like to try a serious relationship again, but not now," Rose said with a small smile.

"So what's your bet?" Caroline asked, changing the subject completely.

"About your mysterious guy?"Rose asked smirking.

"Yeah. Maybe you're close, I could give you some tips and we could divide the money. No one will see it coming, after all I'm the ex-mistress," Caroline said playfully, knowing she and Rose were already comfortable to make jokes.

"Seriously Care, do you think I would give you a manwhore speech if I didn't know it was Klaus?" Rose smiled to her friend, who was absolutely shocked.

"How do you… who… did you…?" Caroline stuttered.

"I saw you guys kissing one night after his surgery. You weren't exactly careful,Caroline. I'm surprised I'm the only one who saw it," the pediatrician explained, "Also Bonnie and Katherine must be really blind. How can you have a mysterious boyfriend that appears at your house and Klaus doesn't know who he is? I think they've been using all their brain cells on medicine, because it's quite obvious if you ask me," she completed.

"Yeah. That was a lame excuse," Caroline agreed, and for once surprised that Katherine hadn't connected the dots yet.

"The thing is they're so convinced that you'd never date The Original Evil that they just didn't consider him a possibility," Rose said and it didn't help Caroline with her insecurities about making her relationship known.

"So you'll win the poll," Caroline said smirking

"I won't bet. I'll take my reward seeing Damon's face when you tell everyone. He really sucks at this. I have a lot of fun because he's sure the guy must be from the hospital, because he says you don't have time to anyone somewhere else. Point for him there, but his guesses? I'd be offended if I were you," Rose chuckled.

"Who did he say?" Caroline asked smiling.

"Dr. Stevens," Rose laughed out loud.

" Ew. The gross Ped doctor?" Caroline asked, but that was the only Stevens in the hospital.

"Yeah. He said the only reason for Caroline Forbes, vice president of Dirty Mistress Club, to hide a man she's having sex with is shame. See why I always have fun? Seriously a single 45 years old man that probably is still a virgin, that spits when talks, and keeps his hand on his crouch half of time? Damon really doesn't have as much a clue as he likes to think," Rose said and they both burst in laughers.

"Your secret is safe with me, but think about it Caroline. There is no reason to hide it. Just enjoy it. You'll have much more fun in the on call rooms than hiding out from your stalker friends at lunch," Rose winked before she walked away.

* * *

"Fine," Caroline said when she entered the resident room at the end of the day, seeing Katherine and Bonnie talking.

"What?" Katherine asked confused.

"I'll introduce you to my boyfriend," Caroline explained, rolling her eyes.

"It's about time. I mean almost one month and no sex at all? I need to see check on him, Caroline. Maybe he's just another dysfunctional penis guy," Katherine said and the three of them laughed, remembering the patient they had a few months ago.

"When?"Bonnie asked excitedly, even clapping her hands once.

"Tomorrow. At lunch," Caroline offered.

"So he works here?" Katherine asked, wasting no time thinking about the possibilities.

"Yes," Caroline nodded.

"Just tell me you aren't dating another attending?" Bonnie asked worried about her friend being hurt again.

"No, Bonnie, he's a resident. Tomorrow at lunch you'll meet him," Caroline offered a sweet smile to her friend, seeing she wasn't judging her – as she often did about everyone – but was only looking after her.

"Just give us one more hint Care," said Bonnie with a big smile on her face, scrubbing her hands together.

"Why don't you use your alleged witch powers if you're so curious, Bon?"Katherine asked smirking, leading Bonnie to roll her eyes.

"Goodnight, guys" Caroline said leaving the locker room, with a small smile of her own. Klaus was sure to be glad about finally telling their friends. Hiding her relationship with Klaus had been torture.

* * *

"I'm home" she yelled as she entered the living room, exhausted by the tough day she had at work.

"Upstairs," he yelled back.

"So how was your last day of vacation?" she asked as she entered his bedroom, not surprised to see him painting.

"Boring," he offered before kissing her passionately. "Missed you," he whispered before kissing her again. His lips on hers were the relaxation she needed every day. It was almost as effective as his skilled hands on her back. Her boyfriend knew how to give a massage like no other.

"Excited to get back to work?" she asked, bringing him to the bed. She really needed to lie down a little bit and relax the rest of her body his kisses didn't meet.

"Excited to be close to you all day," he muttered while he inhaled her scent in her hair.

"I ate in an on call room. You definitely have to get back soon to work because that's not what I plan to be doing in one," she smirked, feeling his lips on her neck.

"Just three more days," he said against her skin.

She closed her eyes when he sucked slightly the spot just below her ear, a low moan slipping past her lips, "Finally, I'm about ready to tie you to the bed,"

"Part of your wicked little fantasy to have your way with me, love?" he asked running his fingers along her stomach, exposing her bare and flat abdomen.

"Maybe," she said bringing his lips to hers, but his phone vibrating interrupted her half way through it.

_Our girl needs us, please come. I've never asked you to be here, I've always accepted your decision, but I'm asking now, -_ he read in the message, a lump forming in his throat as he re-read the message a few more times.

"What is it?" Caroline asked, leading him to delete the message immediately.

"Advertisement," he lied although he didn't put a thought on it.

"Well I think we can start our seventy-two hours countdown then," she said kissing his nape.

"I can't wait," he said feeling guilty, but not about lying.

* * *

The next morning Caroline woke up early to make them breakfast. She tried to make him an omelet; unfortunately they were out of bacon, _again,_ because he didn't go to the grocery store. Caroline let it roll off her back though and focused on the other food she was making. The pancakes were slightly better, but she knew he didn't like sweet in the morning, so it didn't make her feel much better. She was taking the juice from the fridge when he entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," he said wrapping his arms around her from behind, kissing the back of her neck.

"Good morning," she answered with a smile, before kissing him on the mouth.

"What are you doing?" he asked surprised by the food already waiting for him.

"I woke up earlier to make you a special breakfast. You need your energy for your first day back, but I don't think that it's edible," she pouted, leading him to kiss her with a smile on his lips.

"You, Caroline Forbes woke up earlier for me, and not only that, but you also cooked?" he teased, showing off his dimples that still melted her heart.

"More like attempted to cook… and failed miserably," she looked at the food disappointedly. "The pancakes are sort of good, but you don't like sweets,"

"Love, I'm honored you actually woke up earlier because of me and the omelet doesn't look bad," he answered honestly, as the food did look good.

"Look and taste are two different things, believe me. And you need good food, today is your first day back in a month, your body needs as much energy as possible, I'm sorry I'm such a terrible cook. Points for trying though?" she asked, hoping he would at least try to eat the pancakes.

"It can't be that bad," he said taking a piece of the pancake. If the omelet was as bad as she described it, he'd rather eat the pancakes than eat nothing and make her even more upset about it. She would never know how much those little things warmed his heart. He didn't care if the food was edible or not. He could eat at the hospital's cafeteria. But the fact that Caroline, who hated to wake up early, actually did just to take care of him was much more than he could ask for. Nobody ever took care of him like that – or in any way – before and he was touched.

"Don't try the omelet though," she said with a smile, seeing him eating even what he didn't like.

"I will," he said grabbing a fork to get a piece of omelet.

"I told you," she said as he chewed the omelet trying hard not to grimace, at least from her point of view.

"Just a little more salt next time," he said, reaching for the salt shaker and putting some more on it, before eating the whole thing.

"I tried to fix it because last time I did it no one could eat because I put too much salt," she sighed frustrated. She was a doctor, cooking was about following simple instructions and still she couldn't do it.

"The third time is the charm," he winked, as she started to eat her pancakes.

"If you say so," she said.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Care. You'll never understand how much it means, but believe me when I say it does," he said after he finished his breakfast, and waiting for her to finish hers.

"It's just breakfast, and a bad one at that," she answered, surprised by his reaction.

She quickly finished her breakfast as well, taking her car keys and leading them outside.

"I can drive," he protested in the car, clearly in a bad mood already.

"No, you can't," she insisted sitting in the driver's seat.

"It makes no sense that I can work, but can't drive" he complained. Driving was one of the things he missed the most. Sometimes he found that just driving along without a real destination in mind left him time to sort out his thoughts. Or just to feel the rush of stepping down on the gas pedal and escape from his worries and to relax.

"We're going to have lunch with the guys today. They're all happy you're back at work," she changed the subject, not wanting to engage in a fight over something so stupid. She knew he was really on edge the past couple of weeks, totally bored and annoyed by Isobel's recommendations and being at home.

"I thought we would go to the Old Man's room?" he asked confused. It was the one thing he was looking forward. He knew it would be torture to be close to her and pretend there was nothing between them.

"Change of plans," she answered happily and he wondered if she was planning something.

"Being away from you is terrible, but being far when you're within reach is even worse, love," he admitted, and she looked at him briefly with a smile on her face.

"Who would say this is the Original Evil," she chuckled.

"Why?"

"Because I never expected you to be so corny," she giggled, while he smiled.

"I'm just depressed because I spent the last four weeks home alone, doing nothing," he offered, but he knew it didn't have much to do with his lack of activities.

"You'll have action within let me see, sixty-four hours and thirty-two minutes," she smirked naughtily.

"That's what you think," he said cryptically.

"And just what is that supposed to mean? Don't even try to break the no-sex recommendation, Niklaus Alexander Mikaelson,"her mood changed slightly. She was going to make him follow the recommendations fully. She didn't want any setback.

"Not even my mother calls me by my full name, mother," he answered sarcastically, but she didn't mind.

"You have a beautiful name, even if it's a mouthful, I've been waiting for a chance to use it since we started dating," she admitted, laughing, leading him to do the same. Caroline would always bring light to his life in a way he couldn't describe, in the smallest of the things and in the biggest.

* * *

They arrived at the hospital and many people came to greet Klaus, making him clearly uncomfortable. Did they forget he was The Original Evil? Caroline laughed seeing him try to evade hugs and the line of nurses and other female employees that still approached him in hopes of sex. They would have their hopes crushed in just a few hours.

She took the chance to go ahead of him and talk to her friends first. She definitely had something in mind to do some damage control to the reaction she knew they would get. Especially from brunette was just getting ready, and spotting Bonnie in one of the benches talking to another resident, Caroline signalized for them to follow her.

"Nobody needs to know you're meeting him today. I don't want any comment or sarcastic remark, got it, Katherine?" Caroline said as they stood outside the room.

"Can't make any promises," Katherine answered honestly.

"Well I can't promise he'll sit with us," Caroline rolled her eyes, knowing Katherine was being honest.

"Shut up, Kat. Keep your big mouth shut for once. If I have to I will shove an apple down your throat," Bonnie playfully threatened.

"Control your hormones, Witch-y," Katherine answered, seeing how anxious and excited Bonnie was to finally find out who Caroline's mysterious man was.

"Just promise not to make any comments about him. I don't want him to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. Anything you have to say about it, you can say to me, later," Caroline kept her voice and expression serious and Katherine knew she would have to comply.

"You're really making this a big deal," Katherine rolled her eyes, walking towards the locker room again.

"I've warned you. If you do anything, I'll make sure you work with Damon for a week," Caroline offered, and Katherine actually turned around, surprised by the blonde's words.

"He can't do it, he's not responsible for the schedule," the brunette answered.

"Just watch me," Caroline said seeing Serena and Rose talking at the nurse station, where Klaus was still trying to get rid of the people checking on him.

"I decided to tell everybody," she whispered so only Rose and Serena could hear.

"That's great," Rose offered, while Serena looked confused for a moment.

"Oh, you're introducing your mysterious boyfriend?" she asked with a smile. Unlike Rose, Serena didn't grow close to Caroline. Mason was her brother, not her ex, but she liked the younger resident just fine. She wasn't wrong about her first impression of Caroline.

"But I need a favor," Caroline said and went onto explain her threat to Katherine.

"Got it," the green-eyed resident answered, before walking with Caroline to the resident's locker room to give everyone their assignments. She had to do a couple of mental changes, but it would work.

"Bennett, Dr. Salvatore; Pierce, pit,with your interns and also Mikaelson's," Serena announced with a smirk on her face, and winking to Caroline, as she went through the other residents assignments.

"What? Why?" Katherine asked. She hated the pit.

"For now that's my assignment for the day, but if you want, I could make it the assignment for the week. It's totally up to you," Serena said looking between the two best friends, leading Katherine to quickly understand what happened.

"Mikaelson, Forbes,Dr. Elijah Mikaelson," the chief of residency carried on, irritating Katherine even more.

"So they get cardio while I get the pit?" Katherine bitched, not covering her discontentment.

"I'm still looking for someone to be in the clinic with the interns, do you volunteer Dr. Pierce?" Serena asked, moving her hands to her hips.

"I can't believe you're choosing a guy over me," Katherine turned to her best friend, actually infuriated.

"Shh. No one needs to know, remember? And no comments either," Caroline said quietly, watching as Klaus tried to dodge a few more people.

"Whatever,"Katherine said before walking away annoyed, her voice carrying as she barked out orders to the interns.

"You play dirt, Care. Seriously, I don't want to do boob jobs and get Damon's coffee," Bonnie complained

"It's totally up to you, Bon," Caroline said leaving and followed by Klaus.

"What was that about?" he asked not understanding why the residents were taking their terrible assignments out on Caroline.

"Just a warning. Well let's see what we have to do on your first day back," she said excitedly, as they walked towards her interns.

* * *

Klaus and Elijah may have not made as much progress as Caroline had expected after Thanksgiving, but they were more civil to each other. Actually, Klaus was more civil, because Elijah had always been civil towards his younger brother. They talked for a while during their Christmas party, and although it was only small conversation, according to Katherine, it made her happy back then.

This was the first time the brothers would be interacting privately since Elijah visited Klaus in the middle of the night when he had had a small reaction the night following his surgery. At the time Caroline had been surprised by Klaus' easiness around his brother. She was even more surprised when Elijah congratulated Klaus on his relationship when it was only the three of them in his office, just before they scrubbed in to their first surgery of the day. The blond actually thanked his brother, a smile in place and all, and Caroline felt her heart fluttering in her chest at the brothers' interaction. But once they scrubbed out, she decided to acknowledge the one thing that was bothering her before she let their friends know about their relationship. She had planned to talk about it the previous night, but she was too tired and when he had performed his sinful massage she was a goner.

"I know… we never… really talked about it… but maybe we just… should maybe," she rambled, leading him to smile. She was so cute and adorable when she rambled.

"About what, sweetheart?" he asked as they walked towards the cafeteria.

"Hmm… Ahn… Us," she offered uneasily.

"What is there to talk about us?" he was the one feeling uneasy now. It couldn't be good if she was so nervous about it.

"I think… I mean… we are… our… status," she said, her rambling stronger than ever.

Klaus didn't know how to handle the subject either. He didn't connect with people, in addition to avoiding feelings altogether. There had never been an 'us' since Tatia, but one thing he knew for sure, he really wanted to be in a relationship with Caroline.

He grabbed her arm carefully and headed to an on call room and locked the door behind them.

"We can't falter at Presbyterian. There isn't enough privacy," he explained once they were inside.

"So?" she asked nervously.

He knew it was also hard for her, especially because of the things she went through with Mason, but mainly because of his reputation in the past, he was sure of it.

"You know how I feel about you, sweetheart," he started with the obvious, not knowing how to say it better, although it was quite simple, "And after all that cheesiness in front of your father's house I think it's quite requited?"

"I'm not questioning our feelings, I like what we have, Nik, but you don't do relationships… and I'm a failure in them, and my last one was there for everyone to watch…" she offered.

He moved closer to her and caressed her face, "I want to be with _you_, Caroline."

"You're with me right now," she answered weakly. "I want to be with you all the time. I want a relationship with you, Caroline. I don't like to hide and to be deprived of you, but I know you need time and I will give you all the time you need. I just want you to know that I'm really into this. You are what I want," he explained, looking deep into her blue eyes.

"So we're really together," she concluded, seeing how his eyes lit up with her words.

"I guess so," he said with a great grin in his face, his dimples in full display.

"We're in an exclusive relationship," she completed, mirroring his face's expressions.

"We are," he said lowering his head and passionately kissing her, "And this is all I need," he said and kissed her again, before unlocking the door for them to leave.

* * *

Elena, Stefan, Bonnie and Katherine were already sitting when Klaus and Caroline entered the cafeteria. They headed straight to the line and got their food. Caroline didn't think about breaking the news about her and Klaus while Elena was there, but she wouldn't back off now. She couldn't back off now. She had to face her sister, and it was better if it was in front of everyone else, rather than alone. It was a coward move, Caroline knew, but she hoped that at least in public place Elena wouldn't start anything for going for the guy she knew her younger sister was in love with.

Caroline and Klaus sat in the two remaining seats, and started eating and talking with their friends. Katherine was throwing daggers at Caroline with her eyes. Her morning had been terrible, thanks for her friend and this mysterious guy she was already inclined to hate if he was already causing her issues.

"So Caroline. Where is…?" Bonnie asked a few minutes later, but Caroline cut her off before she could end.

"Bonnie, you should eat more, you seem so thin these days," Caroline said, narrowing her eyes at her friend who understood she had to stay quiet.

They finally finished their lunch and the six of them were casually talking, they still had fifteen minutes before they had to go back. The girls were curious to know when Caroline would invite the guy over, while Stefan and Klaus were completely clueless about what was going on.

Caroline was waiting for the best opportunity, but it didn't seem likely to be coming around. But then again, was there really any opening for her to announce their relationship? It wasn't like she was just going to blurt it out and say 'Klaus is my secret boyfriend'.

Elena took the opportunity to talk to Klaus. She had called him a few times while he was recovering at home, and she was happy he was finally back. She had missed him, although the rest of his interns didn't exactly feel the same way.

"Trust me, it was boring as hell. Except when it wasn't," he answered her latest question, while smirking and stealing a glance at Caroline.

"Oh you saw Caroline and her mysterious guy, didn't you?" Elena asked curious.

"You won't get it from me, Elena," he smirked, looking at his girlfriend, that looked like she was about to explode. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but what could he do when someone asked the question directly like that? But then she surprised him, and everyone else in the table.

"It's okay, Nik," she offered with a sweet smile, moving her hand to rest over his on the table, stroking his with her thumb. Everybody was shocked especially Klaus. He didn't expect her to do it. In fact he thought that telling their friends would be the hardest part of making their relationship public. He knew dealing with Elena wouldn't be easy, even if she never admitted it.

"You and The Original Evil?" Katherine cried out.

"The pit, Kat, don't forget it," Caroline answered in a serious tone.

"You're just teasing us Caroline. You said you would introduce us your boyfriend to us, but you've changed your mind and now you're just chickening out and using Klaus," Bonnie laughed.

"Are you serious Caroline?" Katherine asked incredulous.

Caroline simply nodded, her eyes traveling from Klaus' to Elena's faces. They were both quiet, but in different ways.

Klaus didn't pay attention to the questions their friends were doing. He was lost looking at Caroline. She smiled to him and her smile just lightened up the cafeteria. He couldn't see anything else but her smile.

"I hope you're okay with it," she said to Klaus completely ignoring their friends. She hadn't talked to him about breaking their secret to everyone, but she was positive that was something he wanted more than she did.

Klaus took his hand off of her and moved his chair close to hers, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, whispering in her ear, "Thank you". She just smiled and nodded to him before the couple looked back to the dropped jaw of their friends.

"I'm late… I… I… should go… see you later guys," Elena offered, standing up and leaving the table. Klaus felt Caroline's body tensing up, and moving his hand to hers again, he gave it a squeeze. He would talk to Elena later and try to make things better.

"Ahn… Ehhh… Congratulations… I think," Bonnie offered, half smiling, before she also left. Katherine followed closely, leaving the couple with only Stefan, who at least congratulated them properly before also leaving.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Caroline asked trying to cover her fear about Elena's reaction.

"They're just shocked, love, I would too if I were them, this is me after all," he kissed the side of her head, his arm still wrapped around her.

"I guess within half an hour the whole hospital will know," she said noticing the nurses looking at them and talking.

"I suppose they will," he said smiling. He was very happy he didn't have to hide anymore, happy he could touch her in public whenever he wanted.

"It seems that from now on it's just you and me. At least for a while," she offered.

Damon and Rose were just walking into the tables' area, with their trays in hand, when Caroline waved to them shyly.

The pair exchanged a few words, before they changed their way and went to their table.

"Well, well, well, if isn't my favorite dirty mistress and her manwhore," Damon smirked, while Rose slapped his arm.

"Shut up, Damon," Caroline offered, with a smile on her face. Damon would never judge her choice, she could still count on him and she knew Rose was also somewhat supportive of her relationship with Klaus. That would help when Elena and Katherine would keep their distance from her. She didn't know what problem her best friend had with her relationship, but as per Elena's reaction, she was sure her newly found relationship with her blood family was at stake. There was no way Grayson wouldn't take Elena's side in their feud.

* * *

_AN: Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate it! The day Jesus was born to save me is definitely the most important day in my calendar, so I love Christmas :)_

_This chapter is a transition chapter, let's say. Caroline and Klaus are finally - and officially - together, although they're not good with relationships (how awkward was their conversation establishing their official status?). So now we'll see the road bumps their relationship will face. There are two just now: 1) Klaus is lying to her about something big; 2) Elena's reaction. But there's more to come. I have a Guest reviewer who keeps asking where Mason is. Don't worry, he'll make an appearance soon._

_Erin mentioned two things about this chapter 1) this story has no antagonist. None of my all human stories has antagonists per say. In some of my past stories Giuseppe had been a complicated subject to Damon as I used their background in the show, but normally, I just write messed up characters in messed up situations or simply drama. I don't write antagonists. So sorry, if it makes the story miss some of its thrill for you guys. 2) Caroline is overreacting about Elena, especially when she's assuming she'll lose the whole family, not only Elena. We have to take into consideration Caroline's background here. Grayson chose his second family over her for 20 years. I guess her feelings are expected. She's insecure about people making her a second choice or not choosing her at all._

_Thanks a lot to all my reviewers, especially the ones that found this story through tumblr, as the very so kind **dhfreak06** made this beautiful graphic I'm now using. Also special thanks to the guys who read it all at once and let me know how much they enjoyed. I love reviews, so you already know what to give me for Christmas :P_

_Especial thanks to my beta, **Erin** and I'm still looking for another one so I can start my other stories. _

_xxx_

_Babi_


	17. Chapter XVI

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XVI**

* * *

Caroline and Klaus were the subject of gossip the following couple of days. As it turned out, Rose was the only one to figure out who Caroline's mysterious man was. Unfortunately, even though the previous poll was over, a new poll was up on people betting how many days it would last. Generally the staff didn't expect it to last. The infamous Original Evil, deprived of any feelings, and the insecure dirty mistress didn't exactly scream love story of the century to anyone. When they first learned about Caroline's mysterious boyfriend, some people thought that Caroline was rebounding and would eventually find her way back to Mason. Now that they knew Klaus was the guy they were sure her new relationship was only a distraction. What else could it be when she was dating a womanizer?

People were expecting a confrontation to come Monday when Mason was due back. He was currently representing the Presbyterian at an important neurology gathering and people wondered what would happen when he found out about Caroline's new relationship. They were especially curious about how Klaus would react to the attending's presence around his girlfriend. Some expected the worst, something involving an act of violence if Mason made any sort of move on Caroline. Others just thought he wouldn't mind it at all, as they doubted Klaus was capable of being in a monogamous relationship.

Klaus didn't care. He never cared about what people had thought about him. In fact, he liked to be The Original Evil; he liked how people thought he was ruthless, cold, focused and careless. But he wasn't careless to everyone. There was this one girl he cared a lot about. He wanted Caroline and he wanted her badly, and they were wrong if they thought he wouldn't fight for her. But now he had more urgent matters to worry before Mason came back. He had been waiting for Isobel to give him the okay for certain activities for way too long.

He had an appointment with the chief of surgery's wife before his rounds that morning. He hoped everything in his recovery went according to plan and that he would be released to go back to one particularly activity that he had missed very much: sex.

Isobel examined his body, and gladly informed him he had healed completely and superficially, and his body would complete the healing process internally in the following few months, but that it shouldn't influence in his daily routine any longer.

"I think everything is fine with you. You can resume all your daily activities, without overexerting yourself. Try to avoid raising too heavy of things for a few more weeks and soon you'll be completely healed," she informed, taking some notes on his chart.

"Thank you . For the good news and for your job," he offered honestly.

"You're welcome. Now go meet the chief of residency and get your assignment for the day," she smiled contently. She knew his recovery was especially important to Caroline and she would always be happy if her girl was happy.

* * *

Klaus paged Caroline on his way. He knew she would probably be waiting for him in the locker room, anxious for the good news.

When the elevator's door opened he wasn't too surprise to find his girlfriend waiting for him there already.

"I'm fully recovered, sweetheart," he offered, fighting against himself not to hug and kiss her in the middle of the hospital.

"Finally," she offered, not stopping herself from wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. Unlike him, she had no problem with PDA.

"You know what this means?" he asked after they broke apart.

"I have no idea," she giggled coyly.

"That the best time of your life is about to start. Be prepared, love. You'll wish for time to freeze," he teased while she rolled her eyes.

"You really think that you're that good, don't you?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

"I know I'm great, love, and soon you'll know too," he offered her one of his perfect grins and she had to stop herself from swooning in the middle of her work environment.

They reached the nurses' station, Caroline informing him he would work with Elijah while she was with Damon.

"Dr. Salvatore," she offered with a big smile while Klaus suppressed a knowing one.

"Dr. Forbes, I guess you're mine today?" he winked at her. Klaus wasn't the jealous type by nature, but the fact that Damon had kissed Caroline and openly flirted with her bothered him slightly and the smile on his lips dropped promptly.

"Yes, I hope you already got your coffee…" she smirked knowing Damon went much farther with his residents than he was supposed to. He asked all sort of personal favors, having asked one of them to take his laundry to be cleaned a couple of blocks away from the hospital.

"You know I'd never ask you something like that," he answered honestly.

"That's true," she giggled, before winking to her boyfriend and following the attending doctor. Klaus offered a small smile in exchange and went looking for his brother, who was never late to start his rounds.

"I have a skin graft this afternoon. Be prepared for at least four hours of surgery. It's an extensive burn case," Damon changed the subject and Caroline was slightly excited about it. She really didn't enjoy working in plastics and couldn't understand why someone as talented as Klaus would choose such an unappealing field. It served Damon's vain personality well, but while Klaus had also had his womanizer days, her boyfriend wasn't as shallow as everyone thought. Quite the opposite. Klaus had a depth to him that mesmerized her.

"That's actually interesting. Do you need me to start preparing the patient for surgery?" she asked, as her own interns joined them. They were waiting for them in the plastics department of the hospital.

"Later, first we're going to do the post ops. Let's check the beauties I've created this week," he smirked as they headed towards the patients' rooms.

"Are you guys cocky because you're manwhores or are you manwhores because you're cocky?" she rolled her eyes.

"I can't speak for Mikaelson, but I'm the whole package. In fact - I'm modest. I rarely talk about myself as God and I create wonder all the time," he shrugged and she shook her head. The worst part was that she knew he was being honest.

"Seriously. I have to ask Rose if you're as good as you think you are," Caroline smirked, and Stefan who had been following them closely finally spoke.

"Please, I don't want those pictures in my mind," he said, while the other interns were quite uncomfortable with the whole exchange between their bosses.

"Why ask if you can try?" he ignored Stefan's comment and one of the other interns actually coughed at Damon's forwardness, although he didn't do it on purpose.

"Please, everybody knows you only have eyes for Rose these days,"Caroline teased, and she could see Damon's demeanor change at the mention of the pediatrician.

"And you for The Original Evil," he said, although he didn't know for sure. He had been quite surprised when Klaus turned out to be Caroline's boyfriend. He was probably the last guy he would have guessed. Caroline was hurt and had been uncommitted about sex in the past, but he knew she wanted a real relationship. Actually, he thought she was still figuring out what she wanted or was waiting for things with Mason to work out eventually.

"Just admit it, Damon," she challenged.

"I don't do this kind of conversation or relationship, Caroline. Rose knows she can have me whenever she wants and I will have her whenever she agrees. I think it's a fair deal already. So why talk about exclusivity?" he tried to cover his emotions, but Caroline could read people well. "Now you on the other hand… I didn't expect you to date a manwhore. I thought you were all about committed relationships these days," he continued and she took a deep breath before answering. She knew her interns were listening in on the conversation, and while she didn't trust any of them except for Stefan, she also wanted everyone to know she was serious about Klaus.

"I'm giving it a shot Damon. It's not about the sex, especially when I've had no sex at all," she admitted, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth. It was one thing to admit it in front of her interns that she had feelings for her boyfriend; it was something completely different to admit not having sex with him yet. Her cheeks were red, and she cursed herself under her breath for her stupidity.

"What?" he cried out, stopping in his tracks, almost leading the intern behind him to bump on his back.

"What?! Klaus has been in recovery for the past few weeks! He was only released by Isobel today," Caroline shrugged, the damage was done, she better justify her actions before she gave more reasons for the nurses to put an explanation be behind why wasn't over Mason yet. She could already hear them saying she wasn't having sex with Klaus because she couldn't have sex with anyone but Mason. That was ridiculous, but it was something she expected not only from the nurses, but from most of the Presbyterian staff.

"Did you guys followthe recommendations literally?" he asked, nearly appalled.

"We didn't want to risk, he was lucky he didn't have further complications, Damon. He had been shot. There was internal bleeding, organs affected. It's not that simple," she justified, although she spoke lower in hopes only he would hear.

"You're doctors, you know better. But this really isn't any of my business because if it was you would be over Mason already," he wriggled his eyebrows starting to walk again.

"This has _nothing _to do with Mason, Damon. Are you seriously going to go there as well? You're my friend, I thought you would know better than anyone else in this hospital," she answered clearly upset by his words.

"Caroline, people in this hospital watched you and Mason like you were their reality soap opera. Everybody knows you still love him and he still loves you. You can give Klaus a shot, but we all know it'll be you and Mason in the end. I know it. You know it. Klaus knows it and Mason knows it," he offered honestly and she was surprised to learn he had such opinion about her and her love life.

"Don't speak for me and Klaus, Damon," she answered frustration coating every inch of her voice. He demanded the rest of her interns to enter the patient's room, while he pulled Caroline away.

"What? Do you honestly believe or want it to last?" he asked, "Actually, don't answer that, answer this one: did it ever cross your mind to go back to Mason, can you honestly say you don't love him anymore?" he asked,

"I don't know, Damon. I don't know if whatever it is between Klaus and I will last. I don't know if I still have feelings for Mason. Maybe deep inside I still think we could be together someday, but what I do know is that I'm with Klaus now and I want it to work. We have a great time together and I don't need to be someone else when I'm with him. I can be the damaged Caroline because he's damaged Klaus. We get each other and we're good to each other. He's good to me in a way Mason had never been able to," she answered honestly, and Damon appraised her expression for a moment.

"And how come someone so damaged can be there for someone even more damaged and darker?" he asked honestly, thinking for a moment about Rose and himself. If Caroline and Klaus could make it, maybe there was hope for him. He knew he was slowly falling in love with Rose and as much as he wanted to make it stop, he didn't know how. He had tried to back away from her, but he had failed miserably. He needed her around.

"I don't know. He admitted he has feelings for me. He's proud of me, you know, he makes me feel like I'm enough, like I'm good enough for him, like I was his first choice. That's enough for me now," she admitted, although she wasn't too comfortable having this conversation, especially when they had her interns and his patients waiting for them.

"I'll give you a piece of advice. This relationship could change him and you. If he says he has feelings for you, maybe you should believe him," he offered, thinking about the predicament he found himself in with Rose.

"Yea?" she asked hopefully.

"I know it, Barbie. I know things in addition to creating beauty. See? I'm modest towards all the greatness of myself," he winked at her, motioning for them to walk back to the room where her interns were waiting for him.

"I should get my sanity tested if I'm willingly taking advice from you of all people," she shook her head, smiling softly.

"I know it's not every day you have God in the flesh present," he smirked, as they entered the patient's room.

* * *

Klaus was thankful for the break his brother gave him and one of his interns after their surgery. There was an important phone call he had to make and it couldn't wait until he was at home for it would be too late.

"So is everything okay for the weekend?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Great. I guess we'll meet Saturday then Lisa," he offered before bidding goodbye to the girl on the other side of the line.

"Who is Lisa?" a voice came behind him, leading him to jump frightened. Privacy was a foreign word at that hospital.

"None of your business, Pierce," he barely acknowledged her, starting to walk away.

"It's my business if you're already cheating on Caroline, she's my best friend, it's my job to tell her she made the biggest mistake of her life with you as a boyfriend." Katherine crossed her arms against her chest knowing she would get his attention.

"Still none of your business, you're not her keeper. And if I remember correctly, you're among the ones that think I'm just in it for the sex and that she's just rebounding," he answered angrily at Katherine's harsh words.

"What else should I think? I really don't know anyone more dysfunctional than the two of you," Katherine said seriously, "You're just going to finish what Mason started because Caroline is an idiot. She gets involved easily and although I hardly believe she has any kind of feelings for you, she'll be just as heartbroken when you screw her over,"

"I don't own you any explanation about the goings on of my life," he turned to leave again, but Katherine grabbed his lab coat and stopped him from moving.

"You break her, I break you, and I don't care if you're Elijah's brother, I'm not going to watch another jerk hurt her,"

"I care about her, okay?" he said releasing himself from her.

"And do you think that's enough? Look at your relationship with your own family, Klaus. I know you're not a bad person and I know you may not want to hurt her purposefully, but it doesn't mean you won't, and you could make even more damage than Mason did," Katherine offered more softly, but Klaus didn't answer. He simply walked away.

It didn't bother him that people had no faith in him, but it bothered him to know that they were just waiting him to be worse than Mason. How could they think that? The guy was married and never told her, and then he chose his wife over her. How could Klaus be any worse than that? All people knew about him was that he cared about no one and that he had a terrible relationship with his own brother, but they didn't know anything about his life and he was sure Elijah didn't share much with Katherine. He knew the odds were against him, but it didn't give them any right – not even Katherine – to assume he would break Caroline's heart. He would do his best to be the man she deserved him to be. But Katherine was right, and he could fail, but he didn't plan on backing off now.

* * *

Her shift finally ended and Caroline couldn't be more thankful, she was exhausted. She had been in surgery with Damon for six hours, instead of the four he had first planned, and it had been draining. Her entire body was sore, and she felt like her legs would melt from right under her body. But what she was most thankful for was that Isobel had finally released Klaus to drive as she didn't think she was in any condition to do it herself. It wasn't fair that Klaus had to wait an extra two hours for her once his shift had ended, but she was thankful for that caring side of her boyfriend.

"You look like you're about to die," Katherine commented, as she watched her best friend changing into her street clothes. The brunette didn't have any patients to see at the moment, so she was studying in the residents' locker room.

"I'm exhausted. Thanks for changing your shift with me. I'm not sure I would have made it to morning," Caroline offered tiredly.

"You're losing your grip, Caroline. It's more likely that The Original Evil is already draining you," Katherine looked up from her laptop to the blond that had just sat on the bench.

"We've waited five weeks to finally be together. He's been teasing me about the best sex I'll ever have in my life, but all I can think about is how I'll be the worst he has ever had. I'm 'asexable' tonight," she complained as she laid on the wood bench, stretching her back before she headed to Matt's where Klaus was waiting for her.

"I'm sure even he can wait another night, though I wouldn't push it too much if I were you," Katherine offered casually.

"You never really gave me your opinion about us," Caroline brought up casually even though it was a point that had been bothering her. She had asked Katherine not to make a comment in front of Klaus, but she was still waiting for her best friend to say something in private to her.

"Didn't see the point honestly," the brunette shrugged.

"But I know you have an opinion," Caroline insisted, and Katherine pondered for a moment if she should be honest or not.

"And we both know you're not going to like it," she tried to avoid the conversation.

"But I want to hear it anyway," Caroline insisted. Katherine rolled her eyes at her friend's stubbornness, but sat on the bench.

"I think you're making a mistake and begging to be hurt again," Katherine honestly answered.

"Klaus is good to me, Katherine. He takes care of me in a way nobody ever has before," Caroline blurted out immediately. All she had really wanted was someone to talk to about Klaus - about her relationship too. And nobody would have been better than her best friend. As much as Rose had talked about it before, it was Katherine's opinion that mattered the most to the blond.

"But he's Klaus…"

"And why is that relevant?" Caroline asked, although she knew what Katherine meant.

"It means he doesn't know how to have a relationship even with his brother. It means he's done something that's led him to be apart from his family for ten years. It means he's a tortured guy who has violent fits every now and then. And then there's you to make things even more complicated," Katherine threw her arms in the air. How could Caroline be so oblivious to the tragedy she was getting herself in to?

"What about me?" the blond asked slightly irritated.

"We already talked about it, Caroline. This isn't you. You aren't this cheery girl who welcomes every new person in your life with arms wide open. You're vulnerable right now and dating the worst possible guy in the world won't help," Katherine tried to reason, but Caroline wouldn't have it.

"Klaus is _far_ from the worst guy in the world," the blond quickly jumped to defend her boyfriend.

"But he is for you now. He may be a good guy, but he's a womanizer and you've just been broken. And sorry to tell you, but you're both emotionally challenged, the prospects are weary," Katherine spoke as if she was diagnosing a patient and it made Caroline even angrier. She felt her nails biting into the flesh of her pain as she did her best to contain her anger and sadness.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, it's exactly what I've been expecting from my best friend," she said caustically before gathering her things in a bundle to leave immediately.

"I'm looking out for you!" Katherine protested. She knew Caroline wouldn't like to hear it, but she wouldn't sugarcoat it just because Klaus was Elijah's brother or because Caroline seemed delusional all of sudden.

"Maybe I don't want you to look out for me; maybe I just want you to support me in this when nobody else does," Caroline confessed, her eyes teary, and her lips trembling.

"And do you think it's a coincidence not even incorrigible romantic Bonnie supports this? This has disaster written all over it," Katherine offered softly, seeing how Caroline was about to breakdown.

"Rose and Damon don't think so."

"Rose and Damon are fucking themselves every waking minute they're not working. If this thing between you and Klaus had happened before Mason I wouldn't have a problem with it. I think it would have matched your expectations of being with a guy back then. But Mason changed you. He got you dreaming of a white fence and two point five." Katherine explained exasperated, refraining from rolling her eyes at the mention of Rose and Damon.

"And what, that's reserved only for you?" Caroline asked sarcastically.

"No, but only a blind person can't see that's not reserved for Klaus. It's not what Klaus wants, it's not what Klaus has to offer," Katherine was also getting annoyed by their conversation. She couldn't understand why Caroline couldn't see what was right in front of her.

"How can you have such a perfect assessment of him? You don't know him like I do. You don't know a damn thing about him." Caroline nearly shouted, defending her boyfriend once again. It was getting old pretty quickly.

"But I know you and I don't need to be his closest friend to know how he is. Do you really think you've changed him?"

"Ugh! If you know me so well then you know I've changed as well, so why is it so impossible to believe that Klaus has changed as well, and that I didn't have a hand in that? Am I so pathetic and so worthless that I couldn't make a guy like him genuinely like me?" Caroline asked unable to hold back the angry tears welling up behind her eyes.

"That's not what I said," Katherine said, feeling bad for her friend, but also knowing someone had to tell Caroline the truth.

"Yes, it was, Katherine. I know you're trying to protect me, but I don't need your protection. Your understanding on the other hand would have been nice," Caroline said angrily as she walked out of the room, leaving a protesting Katherine behind her.

* * *

Caroline had joined her boyfriend at the bar and he was surprised when she ordered a couple of tequila shots and downed them in one breath. He could tell she was edgy, but he didn't say anything. He had heard her complain about her long surgery, before praising Damon and Serena, who had once again impressed her with their perfect work. Klaus talked briefly about his day and after she relaxed a little bit they headed home.

He knew for sure something was wrong when Caroline barely said anything on their ride home. He knew she was tired, but there were only a few things that could make the blond stay quiet and he wondered if something else had happened. His first thought would have been Mason, he was the most common occurrence for her moods, but the neurosurgeon wasn't in the city and he doubted he had contacted Caroline all way from Germany.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said, entering the living room and tossing her purse onto the couch.

"Do you want me to order us some food?" he asked while she went upstairs.

"Whatever," she answered, as she headed to her bedroom, her door slamming a few seconds later.

Caroline took about forty minutes in the shower, before she went to see Klaus. She smelt something unbelievably tempting as she approached the kitchen and she knew for sure he had been cooking.

"Are you cooking?" she asked, seeing Klaus closing the oven.

"Yes," he answered with a smile.

"I thought we were having takeout?" she asked surprised, but with a small smile on her face.

"I thought you could use a homemade meal after an exhausting day," he smiled back at her.

"You spoil me too much," she kissed him on the cheek, her mood completely changed. She wished her friends would see this side of him. The side that took care of her like no one before him. The side that was thoughtful, and caring.

"You deserve much more," he answered, hugging her to his side and planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"And you deserve a better girlfriend tonight," she sighed breaking the contact between their bodies before she crossed the kitchen to get plates and silverware.

"I'm not complaining at all, sweetheart," he looked her in her small shorts and tight tank top.

"You will in five minutes," she sighed.

"We're not going to be doing anything tonight, don't fret. Let's just have a nice dinner and get some sleep. You should rest. You've had a tough day," he said kissing her forehead and taking the plates from her hand to serve them.

"Thank you," she offered relieved.

"You don't need to say why you were upset if you don't want to, but if you do I'm here, okay?" he offered as he took the roasted chicken from the stove top.

"It's nothing. It's just to annoying that people think we're the worst couple in the history of history," she admitted dejectedly, breaking his heart in the process. He hated to see her hurting like that, especially because of people who wouldn't mind their own business.

"It gives us a chance to prove them wrong," he offered, trying to be confident about it.

"Katherine thinks we're fated to be doomed," Caroline said with sadness in her eyes.

"She may be right, but that's always a risk to any new relationship. I know I'm a challenge, I know I can't even have a relationship with my own brother and the prospects are terrible. I'm heartless they say," he reached for her hand, squeezing it softly, while she held back tears.

"I get involved easily," she confessed.

"I hide my pain," he offered with a small smile, trying to make her feel better about herself.

"I'm insecure and neurotic," she chuckled slightly, as a few tears dropped.

"I'm The Original Evil, totally deprived of feelings," he wiped her tears, "but the last part was only until I met you," he completed, kissing her forehead, while he wrapped his arms around her.

"We're good," she said smiling to him.

"Yes, we are. Now let's eat so you can sleep because you need some rest and honestly I'm not sure how much longer I can resist those beautiful legs," he kissed her cheek.

"Smart, besides, I don't want to give you the worst sex you've ever had, no matter how much I want you," she laughed.

"Bad sex and you in the same sentence is impossible, sweetheart," he offered, and as they ate she thought about how everyone was wrong. Klaus was good for her.

* * *

It was Friday and Klaus worked on his schedule. He wasn't supposed to be on call but he changed with one of the second year residents. Caroline wouldn't work on Saturday and he worked with Serena to have her off on Sunday also. Serena made up a lame excuse and changed almost everyone's schedule. Caroline wasn't pleased at all, but Serena told her that there was nothing she could do about it.

"Dr. Van der Woodsen just screwed my schedule," Caroline informed her boyfriend as soon as she entered the residents' locker room.

"You're preaching to the choir, sweetheart. I'll have to work today and tomorrow and my day off is now on Sunday," he lied, and Caroline sighed. She thought they were finally doing _it_ tonight.

"And people say she's the best for the job," Caroline added frustrated. She was tired of being cockblocked.

"So I guess tonight won't be the night. Again," he said trying to show disappointment.

"Seriously. One day I was tired. The other day you were in pain. Then I was on call, now you're on call. I thought the point of being in a relationship is to have sex whenever you please," she complained and he chuckled.

"I'm sorry I can't fulfill my boy toy duties, sweetheart," he pretended to be hurt.

"Unless we just visit one of the on call rooms," she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Sorry, love, I can't. I just came to kiss you goodnight. I have to scrub in now," he lied once again, hoping she didn't check the board after her shift ended.

"I can wait," she kissed his neck, breaking her own rule of avoiding PDA in the hospital.

"I wish you could. But it's a car accident. The driver has extensive injuries. It's going to take me the whole night I guess," he kept the façade.

"You gotta be kidding me. I'm horny as hell. I need sex. I need it now," she pouted, and he almost threw his plan to hell, and took her like they both wanted.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. I promise," he said kissing her, before leaving.

* * *

Caroline decided she needed a drink – or a lot of them – to make up for the sex-less Friday. She knew she would probably meet some of her friends there, and although she wasn't in the mood for them to judge her decision of being with Klaus, she really needed those drinks.

As expected, Elena, Bonnie and Stefan were in one of the booths and the intern waved his hand, inviting her to join them. Stefan was probably the one that was closest to accepting her relationship with Klaus, but even he showed some disbelief.

"Hey guys," Caroline said, without any enthusiasm, before waving for a waiter to come get her order.

"Hey, Care," Bonnie answered, with an honest smile.

"Hi," Elena said curtly.

Caroline wasn't stupid. She knew Elena was having a hard time – as she expected, and she wasn't surprised when the brunette said she had to leave five minutes later. She knew how bad she must look to her sister, especially because Elena didn't know Caroline that much. Her sister's departure ruined Caroline's already sour mood and only a few minutes later, and three shots of tequila, Caroline also left, driving straight home.

But when she arrived home, she felt worse than ever. The house was terribly awful when Klaus wasn't around. She knew he was working and there was nothing she or he could do about it, but she hated it all the same. She wanted her boyfriend; she wanted to move their relationship to the next level. Why was the universe conspiring against them? Not even the stars approved of them? Were they really that doomed?

She found something to eat in the fridge and after a quick shower she was ready for bed. But the moment she felt his unmistakable scent on her bed, her heart clenched. She was ready to drown in her own misery when she heard her phone vibrating on the nightstand.

_Dream about me. Again._ The message read, and she rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's cockiness… and precision.

_Nah, I'm not up to dreaming tonight,_ she answered back.

_What are you up to?_

_You. Right here in my bed with me._

_What would I find in your bed?_

_Me, wearing very small and slutty white panties._

_You know I love white lingerie._

_I wore them thinking of you._

_You're mean!_

_And now I'm going to have to play with myself, all by myself, because you're not here._

_Some of us actually have work to do and can't solve their problems like that._

_Wait a minute. Why aren't you in surgery? I thought you would be working all through the night._

Klaus took more time to answer. He had completely forgotten he had told her he would be on surgery when he sent the first text.

_The patient crashed and died,_ he answered a couple of minutes later.

_I'm sorry._

_Have a good night. I'm sure _I'll_ have dreams about you and your sexy white panties. More like nightmares if I can't really touch you._

* * *

Just a little bit after four in the morning, Klaus left the hospital and headed straight home. He had planned this too long, and he didn't know if he could hold back one more minute before having his girlfriend.

He went straight to her bedroom, and found her sleeping like an angel. He took the chance to admire her for a couple of minutes, before moving to her dresser. He slowly opened her drawer and found what he was looking for. He smiled thinking that the lingerie wouldn't stay long on her body if he had his way with her- and he was positive he would.

He packed some clothes for both of them and when he was done, he changed and slowly lay by her side. The moment she felt his presence, she moved to cuddle against him, although she seemed completely unconscious. He softly kissed her forehead and began to actually feel tired, and fell asleep by her side.

About nine in the morning Caroline woke up, feeling his body against was still sleeping with one of his armswrapped around her waist. Her lips broke into a smile. There was nothing better than feeling his body against hers after spending the night was strong, his muscles well defined and their bodies fit perfectly together. It was as if they had been made for one another. When she felt his arms around her she felt no one could hurt her. She felt safe with him in a way she didn't feel before, not even with Mason.

She didn't want to get up yet, it was good to feel her body against his and snuggling a little bit, she got even closer to him. The small movement had been enough to wake him up, and without opening his eyes, he groggily said, "Morning, love,"

"Good morning," she brought his hand to her face and kissed his palm. The sweet and small act seemed to have awakened Klaus completely, and in a swift movement, he turned her body to face his. He didn't waste any time before kissing her passionately. The kiss lasted only a few moments, but it had been enough to trigger their desire for one another. They could have only lasted so much longer holding back, and the morning kiss had been the breaking point.

"Klaus," she moaned while he lowered his head and kissed her neck.

"I can't wait. I tried, but I can't wait," he muttered, before moving his mouth south.

"I can't wait either," she said burying her fingers through his hair.

"You're beautiful," he offered, as he slipped her camisole and reached her breast with his hands first, quickly replacing one of them with his mouth.

"Klaus," Caroline moaned again, feeling his member getting harder and harder against her stomach.

"Care?" someone called downstairs opening the front door with a loud thud.

"I can't believe it," Caroline nearly yelled.

"Will they ever follow the ring-the-bell-first rule?" Klaus asked, also frustrated by the interruption, but also thankful. He had plans for them.

"Caroline!" the voice echoed through the house, and Caroline recognized it as her best friend's.

"I'm in here," Caroline yelled collecting herself while Klaus moved back to his side of the bed.

"Is is safe to enter?" Katherine asked outside the room.

"You already interrupted my attempt to finally have sex," Caroline stood up from the bed, leading Katherine to appear in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt," Katherine said sarcastically.

"Weren't you supposed to be working?" Caroline asked to Katherine and turned to her boyfriend, "Nik, you too, you told me yesterday Serena changed your shift," she frowned.

"I'm only supposed to go there at one. How about breakfast?" Katherine asked.

"Seriously, you just interrupted the first sex I'd have in months to have breakfast? Where is Elijah?" Caroline threw her hands in the air, and looked upwards. Enough is enough. This had to be a cosmic conspiracy.

"At home, I thought we could talk," Katherine offered, clearly showing she regretted what she had said the previous night.

"I'm definitely not in the mood to talk… especially not now," Caroline said annoyed, before she entered her private bathroom.

"I actually have plans for us, so if you don't mind leaving…" Klaus said in a low tone while he heard his girlfriend brushing her teeth.

"Sex isn't in the plans for you, Original Evil. It's routine, it can wait," Katherine rolled her eyes.

"So please, make sure you leave so we can resume our routine…" Caroline stopped brushing her teeth to say.

Seeing as though he would have to have Caroline out of the house and he wasn't in the mood to make up any more lies, Klaus decided to be open about what he had in mind.

"I have a surprise for Caroline, so you can leave, Kat," he said briskly to the brunette, before turning to his girlfriend, "We're leaving, love, I'm going to have a shower…" he said before leaving the room, muttering it had to be a very cold one, despite the cold outside.

"Who knew Klaus had it in him to work around almost ten residents schedules to give you a surprise," Katherine said with a tone of clear amazement in her voice.

"Why are you here, Kat?" Caroline asked, after she finally finished brushing her teeth.

"I'm sorry about last night. I still think you're putting your heart on the road to be hit by a truck, but if that's what you want to do, I won't say anything," the brunette offered a small smile and Caroline knew she was at least trying.

"Is this some sort of an attempt at an apology?" Caroline chuckled, although she was relieved to hear those words.

"It's the best you'll have. Have a nice surprise," Kat offered before leaving the room and a beaming, and very curious, albeit happy, Caroline behind.

* * *

_AN: Hope you had a great Christmas. I know I did :) Also wishing you a great NYE._

_This chapter isn't the easiest one to read, I know. Everyone showing their disapproval of Klaroline as if it was any of their business. It isn't and I'm happy our couple is confident about their decision to be together._

_Mason and Caroline were really in love, she really loved him and that's why I made it look like there are residual feelings on her part when she talked to Damon. I think that's believable as it's been around seven months since they broke up. It takes much longer to erase all feelings for someone you really love (if all the feelings go away at all)._

_Huge thanks to my beta, **Erin**, she's an angel and to all my reviewers. Answering some questions made by guests: No Kat didn't have anything with Klaus in the past, Rebekah isn't alive as a vegetable, and the Nik pet name is here to stay (sorry, but at least it's not because Klaus is a person and Nik is another person, it's just a cute pet name, and because she likes Nik better than Klaus)._

_Reviews make me happy!_

_Talk to you soon (or maybe not so soon, not sure if I'll be able to update next week, but if I'm not expect the chapter only a couple of days late, just after the weekend)._

_xxx_

_Babi_


	18. Chapter XVII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XVII**

* * *

"What do you mean my Christmas gift?" Caroline asked as Klaus drove them outside New York. They had been driving for a while and Caroline wondered what he had planned.

"You really didn't think I would give you just a book did you?" he smirked, looking at her briefly before looking at the road ahead of them.

"But it's been almost a month since Christmas…" she frowned, but inside she was happy the book wasn't really the only present he got for her.

"And it's been less than a week since I've been released to drive and have my way with you," he winked at her, and she actually smiled, resting her head against his shoulder as he kept driving.

It wasn't long before he entered something like a resort.

"Nik, this is beautiful!" she said amazed, watching the breathtaking scenery around them.

"It's much more beautiful than in the pictures," he said admiring the landscape and regretting the choice of not bringing his sketchbook. But then he remembered why he left it behind. He doubted they would leave the bedroom that much.

"So where did this come from?" she asked again.

"I don't know. I wanted to give you something special for Christmas. I'm not too good at this relationship thing and it's been too long since I gave someone a gift. This was the best I could come up with," he admitted, parking his car in one of the free spots closer to the main entrance.

"You're doing pretty well if you ask me," she said kissing him, "You're such a surprise Niklaus Alexander Mikaelson."

"A good one?" he asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"A very good one" she said kissing him again.

The happy couple entered the hotel and went straight to the reception counter.

"May I help you?" a petite blond woman asked.

"I have reservations for Niklaus Mikaelson," he informed.

"Welcome Mr. Mikaelson and Ms. Forbes, I'm Lisa," the woman offered.

"Thank you, Lisa," Caroline answered, beaming while Klaus held her hand.

"Please let Richard take your luggage and accompany you to your suite," the concierge offered, as a man approached them.

"Thank you," the couple answered in synch, as they followed the tall blond man.

Few minutes later they were at the room Klaus reserved for them. He had asked Lisa for the honeymoon package that included a special decoration in addition to a few other things.

"Do you like it?" Klaus asked behind her wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the back of her neck.

"I love it," she turned and kissed him fully on the lips.

"You're beautiful," he offered when they broke apart.

Caroline got lost in his blue eyes and traced the contours of his face with her index finger "You're perfect," she offered.

Klaus carefully caught Caroline and carried her over the bed, their bodies completely linked, their lips devouring each other's.

Neither of them could hold back their desire anymore, and not wasting any time they took their shirts off at the same time. While Caroline was welcomed with the chest she loved, Klaus was met with a white lacy bra. She made sure to wear it, knowing it was his favorite color. He didn't think twicebefore attacking her exposed chest with his lips, his hands unclasping her bra just a few seconds later. He sucked and kissed each of her breasts softly making her moan longingly and loud. She was even softer than he had expected and he wished he had self-restrain enough to enjoy tasting her body longer, but the budge in his pants was starting to hurt.

Somehow he had been able to make it slow and passionate. Klaus reached her mouth with his again, while Caroline ground her body against his from her position beneath him. He caressed her hair and deepened the kiss parting her lips with his tongue, engulfing yet another moan. Caroline caressed his hair and moved her hand to his back. She let her fingers dance lightly over his back bringing shivers to rain across his entire body. He left her mouth and kissed her neck, licking and sucking it gently, savoring her the best he could. Caroline could hardly catch her breath, feeling the dampness between her thighs and enjoying the waves of pleasure consuming her body.

They continued to explore each other's mouth for a long while before Caroline reached for his pants' zipper. Klaus understood her perfectly and raising his body a little bit, he worked on her own jeans, removing them completely before he took off his own. Her panties matched her bra, and barely covered any skin. He was stuck speechless, but he wasn't the only one. Caroline was completely mesmerized by his body, especially the part hidden behind his boxers. Seeing where her eyes were glued to, Klaus smirked, straddling her body again.

"You want it, don't you, love?" he smirked, and she only nodded as a response, not sure if she could form words at the moment. His smirk only widened at her lust filled gaze, "I didn't quite hear you, love," he teased, her hand reaching for his iron hard member.

"I want it, Nik," she whispered as he kissed her neck and the spot just behind her ear that drove her crazy.

"That's hardly convincing," he whispered right back.

"I want you, Nik. I want to feel you inside of me, all of you, I want you now," she pleaded, her eyes closed as she felt herself getting even wetter.

His lips crashed on hers, passionately kissing her. Her words turning him on more than he expected.

The remainder of their clothes soon piled up and hastily placing a condom around himself he moved back to the bed, to finally have the girl he was in love with. He had been dreaming about this moment for way too long, even before they started dating. She was a goddess, everything about her body was perfect, her soft skin and her intoxicating scent. There wasn't a flaw in the woman under him as he worshipped her body with his own.

Caroline was lost in his eyes. She tried as much as she could to keep her own open now, to watch the way he loved her. He was gentle, although she felt like he wouldn't last too long. She supposed it had been too long for him as well, but it didn't matter. She couldn't explain all the emotions she felt as he rocked his body against hers. It wasn't only the physical sensation – that was magnificent – it was the emotional connection she had already felt even before they had sex.

Her body became alive in a way she hadn't experienced before. He knew exactly where to touch, how much pressure to apply with his hands and lips, he knew how to angle his body against hers to make her see stars. He hadn't been exaggerating when he talked about the best sex of her life. Sex with Klaus should have another name, because it was definitely something else.

"Caroline," he groaned, feeling like he was going to explode at any given moment.

He was doing his best to give her as much pleasure as he could, but he knew he wouldn't be able to have sex with her like he expected it to be. His body was feeling the exertion, and he was feeling more tired than usual. He could understand now why Isobel took so long to release him to have sex. His endurance and stamina were definitely not the same as they used to be and that summed up with the fact that he hadn't had real sex in months, only made matters worse.

But as he looked at the pool of blue in her face, orgasms didn't seem all that much important. He had never had anyone look at him like that. He could see the adoration, the happiness he was bringing to her, but more importantly, he could see the love she felt for him. Making love was an expression he really hated, but there wasn't any other way to describe what they were doing.

And there was also the fact that she was a _bloody_ minx. Her body was delicious and leading his own to betray him, the pleasure too much for him to hold. He wanted it to last much longer, but he knew it wouldn't be the case. He removed himself from inside her and before she could complain, he took her ankles and placed them on top of his shoulders before he entered her again. The move made her yell his name and he stopped controlling himself, moving in and out of her in full throttle. His skilled hands quickly finding their way to her bundle of nerves.

"There, there," she somehow said just a few seconds later, as he hit a spot that made her go to heaven and back, "I'm coming, Nik," she muttered and a couple of thrusts later her screams invaded their room and probably many others.

"Caroline," he called her named, completely losing control over his movements as he jerked inside her.

The blond could barely hear anything he was saying, feeling multiple orgasms reach her in a single long lasting moment. It was wave after wave and at some point she thought she would faint, completely lose consciousness, but she didn't faint out of pleasure. Instead she used all her strength to enjoy every delectation he brought to her body.

A moment later Klaus writhed his body from hers, using all this strength to avoid collapsing over her. He managed to fall by her side in the bed, both breathing heavily as they came out off their climaxes.

"Best," she exclaimed, breathing in deeply, "sex," she continued to pull the air inside with difficulty, "ever," she finally concluded.

Klaus simply nodded, against shoulder, his head buried in her hair, as he kissed her neck.

"I love you," he said a couple of minutes later, regaining some force before finally giving himself to sleep. That had definitely been the best sex of his life, despite the briefness.

"I love you, too," she professed, before wrapping her arm around his waist and following him into sleep.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus slept in and almost lost lunch, and the moment they were back in the room, they made love one more time before surrendering to sleep again. They were tired, especially him, because of the busy week at work and the limitation he found his body now had. Still, he agreed to go for a walk when they woke up early in the evening. She wanted to explore their amazing surroundings and he hadn't learned a way to say no to her yet. He didn't regret her choice, after all it was a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and with beautiful ponds scattered through the fields. They walked holding hands for nearly an hour, stopping to eat a little bit more, before heading back to the hotel. The moment they stepped inside he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.

"It's almost eight, why don't you go upstairs while I get us some information about dinner," he offered as soon as he saw the sender of the text.

"I'll prepare both of us a relaxing bath, what do you say?" she asked, completely oblivious to his sudden change of demeanor. She was too lost and in love with him to realize anything that would potentially break her bubble of happiness and contentment.

"I'll be up in five minutes," he offered before kissing her softly.

"I love you," she said her arms still wrapped around his neck.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," he said pecking her lips.

The moment she entered the elevator, he opened the text, frowning at the words on the screen.

_Call me. It's important._

He wasted no time pressing the call button. He knew it was important if she said so.

"_Hello,"_ the tired female voice answered.

"It's me," he answered.

"_Klaus!"_ the woman answered relieved.

"What happened?" he asked, thinking about all the terrible scenarios.

"_She's been calling for you, nonstop. It's starting to distress her,"_

"How is she?" he asked as the little color from his face drained completely.

"_Regressing according the doctors. She needs you, Klaus. You're all she asks for. You need to come; I can't handle it by myself anymore,"_

"I can't go there now. I have a lot of things going on, I can't leave New York now," he explained, but it tortured him to do so.

"_But she needs you. She finally started talking, and of course her first word has been calling you, it was as if she only had to talk to let me know she wanted you here,_"

"_Mom,"_ he could hear the soft voice calling in the background.

"_It's been only me and her, Klaus, I wish I could take it longer, and spare you the burden but I can't,_" the older woman said and he could say she was crying.

"I know you're the only one she has right now, but I can't drop my residency now, I just came back from sick leave," he explained.

"_She doesn't need me, she needs you. I could never give her what you can_, _I'm never going to be enough,_" the woman said softly, with a lot of affection in her voice for the man, despite everything. She still loved him, she could never stop.

"I know I'm responsible for her, you don't need to remind me," he yelled, his face red, as he internally cursed his life. Just when he was finally happy this had to happen. He knew the past eight years weren't easy for them, but it hadn't been easy for him either.

"_I'm not saying…_" she started, but he cut her off.

"You don't need to state the obvious,"

"_I wish things weren't like this. I wish I didn't need to bother you,_" the woman said guiltily.

"I'm sorry; I don't want to hurt you or her. I wish there was a way for me to be part of her life. I know the last eight years have been hard on you, the two of you because of her condition,"

"_We love you, Niklaus, we'll go to New York. We don't want to get in the way of your residency,_" she suggested, and as soon as his name left her mouth, and before he could say anything the girly, soft, sweet voice replaced her mother's, and Klaus closed his eyes trying to hold back his tears. Hearing her voice, calling his name it was more than he could handle.

"I love you, baby, I never stopped, I just couldn't be there for you, I had to study. Mommy is going to bring you here. I've been working a lot and I can't go, but she'll bring you to visit," he tried to justify and hide his tears from his voice.

Klaus looked very conflicted after he hung up. It destroyed him. It consumed him. He couldn't believe the first words out of her mouth would be him. He couldn't believe he was hearing her voice.

Klaus took a couple of minutes to regroup himself, before gathering information about dinner and heading towards his room to face his girlfriend. How was he going to explain this to Caroline?

* * *

They took a long bath and Caroline was finally starting to realize something was wrong, but he brushed it off saying he was tired. She had been expecting another love making session, but she understood he was tired, his body wasn't entirely healed.

They finished their bath and went downstairs to have dinner. The place was cozy and romantic and there were a lot of couples having wine trying to keep themselves warm.

Caroline noticed he had been quieter than usual, offering only few smiles and words throughout dinner, and she wondered if there was something more going on than he was leading her on to believe.

"Is everything okay?" she asked softly, and he closed his eyes, another soft voice still too alive in his ears.

"Yes, love," he tried to cover, but by the look in her eyes he knew she wasn't buying it.

"Try again?" she asked with a small smile.

"I just want to prove everyone wrong. I want to be able to make you happy," he confessed and although it was sweet, she frowned. Where was that coming from?

"What are you talking about?" she asked unconvinced.

"I failed so many people before. Some of them more than others. Some of them who really needed me, I don't want to fail you too," he looked tortured about whatever was on his mind and Caroline reached his hand, squeezing it with hers.

"You're far from failing me," she offered a sweet smile, but unlike all others times, it wasn't enough to reassure him this time.

"You don't know me yet, Caroline," he offered, and more than ever his thoughts weren't in the blond in front of him, but the one he left behind all those years ago.

"And nothing you tell me will change the way I fell about you. Is it about your family?" she asked, but he looked away, not answering.

"Let's not ruin the mood. I'm sorry, love, my mind strayed. Let's not think of the world outside of this paradise, how does that sound?" he suggested and she nodded. She knew he didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him and she just wondered why it was pestering his mind now of all times. Had something in the resort brought about bad memories?

* * *

The weekend passed too quickly and Caroline realized Klaus had never been the same since their first bath together. They had sexa few times ever since, and it had been just as intense and amazing like the first two, but there was something bothering evaded every single time she tried to get him to talk, and after a few failed attempts, she let it go. She knew when he was ready to say whatever was haunting his thoughts he'd confess.

Despite that, their weekend had been perfect, and the moment they entered her house, she brought him to her bedroom. She wanted to make love to him on her bed more than anything. The hotel was amazing, but she needed it to be more personal.

They woke up late the next morning and found themselves rushing to the hospital to avoid being late. Caroline even wondered if Klaus didn't purposefully lose track of time so he could speed all the way to the hospital. Her boyfriend was made for speed and she knew he loved to drive.

They ran through the hallways and reached the locker room door already late.

"You better do some exercises, sweetheart. You're in very bad shape losing to an injured man," Klaus said gasping for breath. "Though I'm sure I'm responsible for that," he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You cheated," she slapped him softly.

"You can't accept that I'm better" he laughed.

"You're just cocky," she said recovering her breath.

"And you just love me" he said kissing her cheek.

"Hey, I don't want to vomit so early in the morning. You're with Mason and you with Damon," Katherine informed them, as they had missed Serena giving out assignments.

Klaus and Caroline walked towards the plastics department, not surprised to find his interns there waiting for him. Caroline had to go a floor up, and quickly pecking him in the lips, she went to the elevator.

"So you're really together," someone said behind him, as he watched his girlfriend until she disappeared inside the lift.

He turned away and saw Elena, looking down, with a tight smile on her face. Damon as usual was late and they knew it would be at least ten minutes before their attending doctor for the day appeared.

"Yes," he said with a grin in his face.

"She knew how I felt…" Elena looked away. She felt betrayed by her sister. She knew Klaus didn't have feelings for her, but didn't Caroline considered her _own sister_ feelings for a moment?

"Elena… I'm sor-," he tried to say, but the brunette simply walked away to the other side of the counter, deciding to wait for Damon as far from Klaus as possible.

Caroline stepped into the surgical floor, where most surgery departments were located. She went to the neurosurgery section, where most patients were in post or pre-operation, but she couldn't find Mason anywhere. She was coming back to the nurses' station when she bumped into Rose.

"Mason is already scrubbing in; there was an accident with a school bus. You're nearly twenty minutes late, wasn't the weekend been enough for you and Klaus?" Rose asked, and Caroline was actually surprised at the pediatrician's words.

"I'm sorry, ," Caroline offered, seeing Klaus and his interns joining them.

"Dr. Van der Woodsen said we should help you, Dr. Mikaelson and Dr. Lockwood," Klaus said to Rose, who only nodded and asked him to follow her, with only one of his interns, as the others would have to take care of post-operation patients. Rose recruited one of the other male interns to go with them, and left the other four with Caroline and her own interns.

"Are you okay, Elena?" Caroline asked seeing her sister's overall distraught expression.

"I'm fine," she answered curtly.

"You don't seem fine. If you want, I'm here for you," Caroline offered softly, as she checked the board to see in which OR Mason was.

"Are you, Caroline? I'm not so sure," Elena asked, sounding hurt.

"Of course I am. I know we had issues at first, but we're sisters, Elena," Caroline suspected it had something to do with Klaus, but she wondered why Elena would be saying something now after it had been days since her relationship with Klaus had become public.

"Oh really? And are sisters supposed to sleep with the man their sisters are in love with?" Elena asked with a hurt expression.

"I knew this was about Klaus. Look, Elena…" Caroline tried to explain, but the brunette interrupted.

"No Caroline, this is about us, you and me. I trusted you. I know you blame me for dad not being there for you for so many years, but that's not my fault, okay? If anything I encouraged him to come see you and that's how you repay me? Going for the one man I'm in love with? How would you feel if I got involved with Mason?" Elena asked, tears threatening to fall as she finished her rant. She didn't want to give Caroline the pleasure of see her cry, so she walked away, not caring she was supposed to take care of Rose's post-operation cases. It wasn't like she could really be a good physician to those kids at the moment.

Caroline tried to restrain her own tears of frustration and guilt, before she walked to OR number three, taking a couple of interns with her.

"I'm sorry for my tardiness, Dr. Lockwood," she informed Mason quietly, as she entered the OR, after she and her interns scrubbed in.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly and she only nodded, as she positioned herself to help him.

"You don't seem okay," he offered.

"I don't need to seem fine to be really fine," she said, her words much harsher than she planned them to be.

Mason didn't say anything else, and they worked silently on the small girl on the table, but in the end their best efforts hadn't been enough to save the young child.

"You know you can talk to me if you want, Care. We're still friends," he said when it was only the two of them scrubbing out.

"No, Dr. Lockwood. I can't talk to you. We're not friends. I'm no one's friend. I betrayed my sister in the worst possible way. If I did that to my sister who's to say I can't do something just as awful to my other friends?" she said before storming out of the OR.

"Sweetheart," Klaus offered, seeing her walking away from the OR next to the one he was headed to. He approached her, and kissed her cheek softly, but she rejected the affection promptly.

"No PDA, Klaus. I told you we need to look professional," she answered walking past him.

"Are you okay?" he asked surprised, following her briefly.

"I'm fine," she answered annoyed.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, but if you don't back off that might change," she said as she turned the corner towards the waiting room, about to tell a family they had just lost their seven year old girl.

"I'm sorry love, do you think you could make it to lunch at one?" he asked, not knowing for sure what he did wrong in the past two hours.

"How can you be so callous? Do you know how many kids are fighting for their lives right now, I suppose you lost your patient just like I lost mine and now you're scheduling lunch dates?" she stopped in her tracks, looking at him disgustedly. Only Caroline knew that her disgust was truly from her own actions, not his.

"Actually Rose was able to fix the boy we were working on. I'm sorry about yours," he offered softly.

"Whatever. And no, I'm not up to have lunch with you or anything else. We're done," she said before leaving him frozen in the hallway.

Klaus could see the anger in her eyes. What could he have done? Why was she so anger with him? What exactly had she meant? Was she serious? Was she breaking up with him?

Mason had seen the events in front of him, but he didn't understand what was going on. What did Caroline mean by they were done?

"So you were definitely the first and last speed bump. I wasn't expecting it to be so fast," Damon asked, approaching his former best friend. Klaus was going to scrub in with him in the OR four, and coming from the other side of the hallway he had witnessed the couple's fight just like Mason did.

"What are you talking about?" Mason asked with a confusing face.

"Caroline and Mikaelson. The bets were they wouldn't last one week and that you would be their first and last speed bump because she was only rebounding. I can only imagine what you did to change her mind so fast," Damon smirked.

"What the hell are you talking about Damon? And what does Caroline have to do with Mikaelson?" Mason asked confused, but also getting annoyed.

"See? You were so badass that you didn't even know they were together," Damon said before walking towards the OR Klaus had just entered.

"Caroline and Mikaelson are together? What's your angle in this, Damon, because you're not making any sense," Mason followed the dark-haired surgeon.

"If you don't believe me, go ask her," Damon offered a smirk, before entering his OR.

Mason's blood boiled. He couldn't believe she moved on with Klaus. Klaus and Damon were the hospital's womanizers, how could Caroline be so naïve?Klaus was even worse than Damon.

"Caroline!" Mason called her, as she turned her back to the family breaking down in tears.

"Dr. Lockwood," Caroline answered without looking at him.

"I need to talk to you," he said trying to keep his voice calm.

"Sure," she agreed, stopping in her tracks.

"Can we go to my office please?" he asked and she nodded, following him.

"I talked to the parents, as expected they were inconsolable," Caroline offered as they approached his office.

He held the door open for her and motioned for her to take a seat, while he closed the door behind him.

"Is that true that you and Dr. Mikaelson are together?" Mason asked not knowing how else to ask. The idea was so crazy to him, that he wasn't going to attempt sugarcoating it.

"Seriously? I can't believe you wanted to talk about this. I thought we had an agreement. We're only coworkers. My private life isn't your business anymore Dr. Lockwood," Caroline said annoyed, as she stood up to leave. She reached the door, and opened it, but Mason grip on her arm halted her.

"Caroline, I need to know. Is that true?"

"Mason, please. Now is not a good time," she pleaded, closing her eyes.

"Caroline," he said touching her face.

She looked up at his soft eyes. He would always calm her with his boyish eyes. He looked so concerned and loving at the moment, that she just allowed him to hug her when he pulled her closer.

"I'm tired. I'm tired of putting the pieces together. I'm tired of the pain. I'm so tired. It hurts and I'm tired," she sobbed in his arms, letting all the pain consume her.

"Hey, I'm here for you," he said caressing her hair, "What did he do to you?"

Caroline couldn't utter one word, and just carried on crying. Mason tried to comfort her, but he knew he wasn't very soothing at the moment. He was just thinking of the many ways to make Klaus Mikaelson pay for what he did to his girl.

* * *

Caroline finally calmed down and Mason released her to go. She didn't say anything coherent while he held her. She babbled something about being a bad sister, but that was all he gathered. She didn't confirm if she and Klaus were together, but he didn't need her to. He knew she was broken again and all this conversation about her incapability to be friends with anyone had to be related to the evil man. Mason wouldn't let someone hurt her. He never really planned to hurt her, and he had never felt worse about something in his life. He would never forgive himself for the pain he caused her, but he would do everything in his power to prevent someone else from doing the same. She was too precious and too fragile and just so damn easily hurt.

Klaus didn't know how he had been able to operate on the little boy, but he worked with Damon and their work soon was done. Everything was going to be okay with small Peter, but he knew _he_ was far from being okay. He didn't know what happened, but something led Caroline to break up with him and when he approached the nurses' station he had an idea of what had happened. Apparently, Mason had.

"See, I told you. Mason took only half a day to get her back," one nurse told to the other.

"I thought Klaus would last at least a week," the other nurse shrugged.

"Mary saw when he entered his office with her. She was crying in his arms saying she loves him and begging for him to forgive her. She just left his office," the blond nurse offered.

"Sandra saw when Caroline yelled at The Original Evil. She said they were done. She must have really regretted it. Not that you can compare Mason with someone as evil as Klaus. Mason is an angel," the redhead sighed. The hospital female population was in love with Mason's good guy reputation, despite the Rose situation.

"Of course she regretted it. No one gives up on Mason especially to be with The Original Evil,"

"I think she and Mason will get married before she finishes her second year. Maybe she and Katherine will get married together. Mary said Mason caressed her hair with rage in his eyes. Klaus better know how to fight. I heard Mason knows karate," she giggled.

_It can't be true. She wouldn't change her mind. How could she? She told me she was in love with me_. Klaus pondered in his mind, before walking away quietly. He had heard enough.

Klaus's heart was broken. Shattered. Burning tears dropped on his face. _How can I be so stupid? How could I believe she would give up on him and fall in love for me?_

He couldn't handle it anymore and headed to the locker room. He didn't want to talk or to see anybody. He just wanted this day to end already. How could he continue to work in the same place as her, especially if she was already back with Mason? Katherine entered the room to steal an apple from Bonnie's locker as she wouldn't have time to have lunch. She noticed how distressed Klaus looked and she wondered if she should ask what was wrong. He silently took his sketch book from the locker and simply sat in front of it, looking at the blank page.

She had heard some rumors of Caroline being back with Mason in the three minutes that took her to come from the OR to locker room. It couldn't be true, but by the look of Klaus, she thought maybe she should let Elijah know about his brother's heartbreak. She really didn't expect Klaus to have genuine feelings for Caroline, but since she interrupted them having sex on Saturday, she wondered if her fiancé was right after all. Elijah seemed convinced Klaus was completely in love with Caroline and he assured her he was the most loyal man to those he loved.

She headed towards the cafeteria, hoping to find the heart surgeon, but instead she bumped into Caroline.

"What's wrong with you?" Katherine asked, not knowing how she came from badmouthing Klaus to defending him in the span of three days.

Caroline didn't say a word. She simply continued to walk away.

"I told you it would never work, but I didn't expect you to break his heart like that," Katherine said, surprised by Caroline's reaction. Or lack of.

"That's what I do anyways, isn't it? I break people's trust. No wonder my mother and father didn't want me," the blond answered, as she stared blanked ahead of her.

"What the hell happened this morning? You two were all puppy love this morning and now you're breaking his heart and talking nonsense?" the brunette asked confused.

"I break people. No one can trust me or be close to me. I betrayed my own sister," Caroline answered with a monotone voice, a couple of tears rolling down her face.

"And what the hell has Elena to do with it?"

"I betrayed Elena, she confessed to me around thanksgiving that she was in love with him," Caroline closed her eyes, ashamed of her actions.

"This is all because of Elena? You are seriously acting like a zombie because of _clueless, delusional _Elena? Why would she even consider Klaus in the first place? The whole hospital knew about his reputation," Katherine rolled her eyes. She never really liked Caroline's sister that much, and now she knew it was within reason, not only jealousy.

"It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have. Would you like it if I had slept with Elijah after you broke up in the summer?" Caroline asked, but didn't wait for Katherine's answer, "Now I lost both my best friend, the man that made me feel things I've never felt before and my sister. I wouldn't be surprised if Meredith, Jeremy and even father didn't want anything to do with me anymore," the blond concluded, starting to walk again.

"You fell for him," Katherine concluded shocked, leading Caroline to stop in her tracks again. For the first time since they started it seemed like Caroline was there. She looked to Katherine and blinked hard trying to avoid more tears to fall, but she couldn't stop them.

"Caroline, this is completely different. We can't help who we fall in love with, and it's crystal clear Klaus is head over heels in love with you and not her. Just because they slept together and she fell for him, doesn't mean you can't be together. He moved in with you before he even met her, maybe you started falling for him even before she met him. I know this situation sucks, and I can't imagine having a sister and being in a relationship with the guy she slept with, but he loves you," Katherine offered, trying to comfort her best friend.

"It doesn't matter, there must be some sort of sister code, and I just broke it,"

"Did you break up with him over her?" Katherine asked, and Caroline only nodded, more tears falling.

"And what does Mason have to do with all this mess?"

"I don't know, he comforted me just after I broke up with Klaus, but I haven't seen him since then…" Caroline explained, not knowing why Katherine was bringing up Mason.

"Well you need to talk to Klaus, like, immediately. The most updated rumors are saying you and Mason were kissing and making promises of love to each other in his office this morning. I'm sure Klaus overheard the latest newsflash by the looks of what I just saw in the locker room," Katherine suggested, and Caroline was shocked to know people actually had the nerve to say something like that. Her anger towards the gossipers blurred through her mind, but she knew she couldn't do what her best friend just suggested.

"I can't do that to Elena," Caroline tried to convince the brunette as much as she tried to convince herself.

Katherine couldn't hold back a small scoff, "Whatever, but you should at least talk to him. It's one thing if you're breaking up with him because of Elena and something completely different if you're breaking up with him to be with Mason," Kat offered, but Caroline was adamant. She knew the moment she saw his baby blue eyes she would lose any rationality and morality. She would just jump into his arms and forget about the world.

"Maybe it's better this way, if he thinks I'm back with Mason he'll back off. He won't if he knows it's because of Elena," the blond offered with a small, sad smile.

"You're making a mistake," Katherine said before leaving her friend with her thoughts.

* * *

Klaus knew he was needed somewhere, but he had scrubbed into two surgeries in less than six hours. He needed some rest, and informing Serena, he headed to the old man's room and sat in the chair closest to the window. He stared at the snow pouring outside and tried to keep his thoughts away from Caroline, but he couldn't. He couldn't forget the perfect weekend they had just shared. He couldn't forget the softness of her skin, the smell of her hair or the taste of her kiss. He couldn't forgot how complete he felt making love to her. Her giggles rang through his head and wouldn't leave.

"Sorry, I didn't know there was someone…" he heard a familiar voice entering the room.

Klaus barely reacted, and Elena frowned especially because for the first time ever she saw tears in his red, puffy eyes.

"Is everything alright?" she asked softly, although she knew the answer pretty well.

There was no answer, the tears continued to fall from his eyes and he didn't wipe them or try to hide them as he watched the snowflakes flying slowly.

"What happened?" asked Elena filled of concern, as her hand reached his shoulder. He closed his eyes. Elena had always been nice to him and maybe he needed someone to talk to. He always kept his pain to himself, but after the news he had received this weekend while he was with Caroline and their breakup this morning, he felt like he was going to lose it.

"I thought I would never be able to love someone. That was why I slept with every single girl that crossed my way. But then I met her, and she was completely different from anyone I've ever met. She has this light that lit parts of my heart that I thought would be dark for the rest of my life. Why did she say she loved me, if she didn't?" his voice was distant, just like his eyes, as the tears slowed down.

"Caroline?" Elena asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Everything was fantastic this morning, but then she broke up with me, out of nowhere. I must be a fool to think something good would ever happen to me. Not after everything I did," he bitterly offered, his expression toughening.

"I had no idea you felt this way about her," Elena offered, her words heavy with guilt, but Klaus couldn't notice them. She thought Caroline and Klaus were just fooling around, having a casual relationship. That was what everyone was saying anyway. Some interns said they heard Katherine saying Caroline was using Klaus to rebound and Klaus was enjoying the hot sex. It had hurt her deeply to know her sister would dismiss her feelings just to have fun with the hospital's womanizer. Elena knew she had been deluding herself into thinking she would ever have a chance with Klaus, but still she thought Caroline would had been more considerate about how she felt. But now Klaus was admitting to being in love with her sister and he said Caroline confessed to loving him too. Could she be the reason why they broke up? She heard a rumor about Caroline being back with Mason, but she had a feeling that the fault didn't lie there.

"I'm so sorry," she side hugging him, moving her hand to wipe his tears. He only nodded, offering a tight smile, before his eyes turned to the snow outside.

"I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. It's been a stressful morning. She's probably taking it out on you. I'll talk to her," she offered, but Klaus didn't show any reaction. He knew her actions had nothing to do with the eventful morning at the hospital.

* * *

Elena paged her sister and hoped she would agree to meet her at the intern's locker room. She didn't know how Caroline felt about her, but she had to fix her mess while there was still time.

"Hey, Elena, is everything okay?" Caroline's soft, but broken voice, echoed through the small room.

"No, but it'll be. I'm sorry, Caroline. I didn't have a right to say those things to you," Elena tried to apologize, feeling even worse than before seeing how her sister was in even a worse state than Klaus.

"You were right, Elena. I'm the one who should apologize. I ended things with him, I'm sorry I hurt you that way," Caroline offered, before turning to leave.

"Care, wait!" Elena stopped her."I let it all get to me okay? All this hospital gossip," Caroline stared at her curiously as Elena shrugged her shoulders in defeat, "Everything I hear was worse than what I thought. I heard people saying that you had admitted to Katherine that you were using Klaus to rebound over Mason, someone even said to make Mason jealous. I was so hurt when I thought you had so little consideration of my feelings. I've always known I had no chance with Klaus. He had made it clear since the beginning. But I kept feeding my feelings because I don't develop them easily. He's been the first guy I felt something for in the last four years."

"He loves you, Caroline. I know this makes things a little bit awkward between the three of us, but Klaus and I were nothing but a fling, but you guys are the real thing. It's not _my_ fault, _your_ fault, or _his _fault that we both fell for the same guy. He chose you, he fell for you. I'm sorry about the things I said earlier. And now he's devastated because of me. I don't want to make my sister miserable, or him. I want both of you to be happy," Elena offered, feeling tears escaping her eyes at her rushed confession. The memory of Klaus' broken face and now her sister's would haunt her forever if she didn't try to make things right between the two blondes.

"Elena, I made a mistake, don't feel bad about it. I broke the sister's code. I could use some excuse and say that's because I'm new in to this sister thing, but I'd be lying if I say my conscience wasn't screaming at me to stop myself," Caroline offered her sister a small smile. At least she wouldn't lose her family.

"He needs you Caroline. He loves you. Don't break him. I love you and I fell for him. I want you guys to be happy. Please. _Please, _don't break him. I'll fall in love again, it's not like Klaus is the love of my life. We slept together a couple of times, but that was it. All our past will do for us now is make for awkward jokes at holiday dinners," Elena tried to convince Caroline, but the blond didn't seem to budge.

"I'm asking this as your sister. Your happiness is important to me just like Meredith's and Jeremy's. Klaus is a good guy; he deserves a girl like you. He needs a girl like you," Elena reached her sister's hand and squeezed them.

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked, not really having the strength to refrain her emotions anymore.

"Yes!" she said laughing through her tears, feeling extremely relieved that she got through to her, "he's in the old guy's room," Elena offered a genuine smile, before hugging her sister tight.

The sisters broke apart and Caroline checked her watch knowing she only had a few minutes before her lunch break was over. At least she was with Mason and he would cut her some slack. She ran towards Mr. Robinson's room as fast as she could, going through the stairs instead of waiting for the busy elevator.

In a couple of minutes she was finally opening the patient's door, but she didn't expect to find Klaus in such a state. He wasn't simply crying anymore, he was sobbing, while he destroyed his sketchbook.

"Nik," her voice cracked, tears starting to fall immediately.

The rage grew in his eyes and Caroline felt it was directed at her. She had really hurt him allowing him to think she was back with Mason. She just hoped he could forgive her.

"Get out," he simply said, looking away from her.

"Let me explain," she asked, but he ignored.

"Caroline, I love you, but if you don't leave I can't be hold accountable for my actions," he avoided looking at her. The sting in his chest more than he could handle.

"I don't know what you heard about Mason and me, but whatever it is, it's not true," she reached for his shoulder, slowly moving her hand to the back of his neck.

His heart stopped for a moment. She wasn't back with Mason? "Aren't you with him?" he asked, cautiously, not wanting to have his heart broken again.

"_No_, I'm with you if you still want me. But I'll keep the change if _you_ want to Nik," she offered looking into his eyes desperately with her own, "I don't want him, I don't love him. I love you, I want you," she said as their eyes finally met, her words locking their blue irises.

"Are you serious?" he asked, hopeful, even if his mind screamed at him to not promote such a feeling.

"Yes, please forgive me. I don't want us to be done, all I want is you," she pleaded, and he brought her to his arms, holding her tight. At least the pain of losing her was going to be remedied. That was until he told her about the two women coming to visit him in a couple of days…

* * *

_AN: that's what I'd call a rollercoaster chapter. But it started well and ended well (imo)._

_I'm not an Elena fan in the show and I'm quite indifferent about her in this story, but I do understand how she was hurt thinking Caroline was just fooling around with Klaus. It does sound like lack of consideration whether Elena actually had a chance or not. But now she realized they're in love with each other and she won't destroy their happiness. She cares a lot about both of them._

_Be my guests about who are those two girls Klaus talked on the phone. I guess we'll learn their identities on chapter XIX but I'm not sure. That's only two chapters away and I think a little of suspense is nice, don't you? ;)_

_Hope you guys had great holidays. Mine were great and the reviews I received for last chapter were just icing the cake :) I do hope you have more for me._

_Special thanks to my lovely beta, **Erin.** She's too nice for words._

_I wish you all a great 2013!_

_xx_

_Babi_


	19. Chapter XVIII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XVIII**

* * *

The old man's room wasn't far from the nurses' station on that floor, and while Katherine waited for Elijah, she watched Klaus and Caroline leave said patient's room. The couple was holding hands, and by the looks of relief on their faces they seemed to have worked out their problems. The brunette smiled softly, just before she felt a kiss on her cheek.

"I was wrong," she admitted, causing Elijah to frown.

"Should I fear for the world's safety? Katherine Amelia Pierce just admitted she was wrong about something. I'm sure it's a first time," the heart surgeon joked, and she turned to look at him.

"I was wrong about Klaus and Caroline,"

"Not only are you admitting you were wrong, but that I was right? I guess I can start hoping I'll change your mind about other subjects we disagree on?" he asked playfully, but Katherine knew behind his playful tone was a truly hopeful voice. Katherine knew her fiancé well, even if they had only known each other for less than two years.

She knew the conversation they had the night of their engagement were still haunting him. She couldn't expect any different though. Their argument had led to a big change of plans for Elijah's future and it was only natural that he would need time to adapt and completely let it go. In times like this she wondered if she deserved someone as kind as Elijah, but he had convinced her with his words that night. She hoped he wouldn't resent her, but she already feared it. He was giving up on one of his biggest dreams because of her.

* * *

"_So Katherine, Elijah said something about you wanting to be a heart surgeon as well," Esther asked, as the three of them had dinner. _

_Elijah surreptitiously glanced around the empty dining room table as his mother continued to question his beloved. Kol was attempting to meet his brother and his girlfriend before they left for the US, coming up from Spain to London to do so. Even though spending the New Year's Eve in Ibiza had become a tradition to the youngest Mikaelson. But he had truly done his best to come to England in time to see Elijah and Katherine. Whereas Sage and Finn had decided to spend the holidays with her parents for a change because of her pregnancy, and they just happened to live in Scotland. Needless to say, the absent siblings were happy that at least their brother and his beau would entertain their mother for the holiday. _

"_I guess that's the reason why I fell in love with him in the first place. Being a heart surgeon has always been my dream and Elijah is definitely the best one I've seen since Dr. Elizabeth Forbes died," Katherine looked at her boyfriend affectionately. _

"_Elijah has always been the best in whatever he's put his heart to," Esther offered, appraising Katherine and Elijah's demeanor closely. She was happy for her second eldest son, but there was something about Katherine that didn't assured the Mikaelson's matriarch. _

"_You're both embarrassing me," the raven-haired man offered, leading Katherine to kiss his blushing cheek._

"_We're both being honest, aren't we, Katherine?" the older woman asked the brunette, who offered a nervous smile to the blond. She knew Esther had been analyzing her every word and move. She felt like she was under constant evaluation, and not knowing how she was doing was making her more and more nervous about it. The woman sat by her son's side was an enigma, her face didn't give away any of her thoughts, but Katherine suspected it couldn't be good; otherwise Esther would have already given something away._

"_Absolutely," the brunette answered with a forced grin._

"_All of my children are very smart. Unfortunately Kol has decided to waste his potential by becoming somewhat of a playboy, but I'm sure it's just a phase. There is still hope the he will grow up eventually," she shook her head in disappointment. Kol was still working on his law major and she wondered if he would ever conclude it. No matter how influential their family was, Cambridge was above everyone, even royalty._

"_I'm sure he will. There's only so much fun he can have. It will get old at some point, Mother," Elijah tried to reassure the older woman, who only sighed, hoping her son was right._

"_How about you, Katherine, do you have any siblings?" Esther asked before sipping her wine._

"_No, I'm an only child," she answered with ease. At least that wasn't a hard question._

"_Wouldn't you have liked to have a brother or a sister growing up?"_

"_Honestly, I think it fit my family better to just have one child," Katherine offered with a small smile, wondering briefly in the back of her mind if her father would have done the same things to her siblings as well._

"_And what about you? Would you like a big family yourself or a small one?" the middle aged woman asked, with a smile that was finally starting to seem genuine._

"_I don't plan to have kids, actually," Katherine said honestly, though she regretted it immediately. That was a conversation she had yet to have with Elijah, although he had tried ineffectively to bait her into it a few times. She didn't know what his plans were, but under his mother's scrutinizing gaze, she felt exposed and the truth was out of her lips before she could think._

_Elijah almost choked on his wine, while his mother let her fork fall to the table, the loud noise resonating through the silence following the brunette's answer._

"_Are you sure about that?" Esther asked, recomposing herself from the shock. She knew there was something off about Katherine. It was crystal clear now. The young woman was clearly career oriented and watching her closely, the blond could say Katherine didn't look maternal at all, even if she was nearing her thirties._

"_Mother," Elijah intervened, and like his mother, his shock only lasted a couple of seconds. He had always thought and been convinced that Katherine didn't want to have any children, but he had never heard the confirmation until then._

"_I must ask, son, because if your words on the phone were clear, you plan to marry this young lady someday and I know how much you'd like having a big family. You told me once you would do your best to keep the six offspring tradition in the family," Esther said calmly, her eyes never leaving Katherine's._

"_Six?" Katherine asked appalled. She already had a problem wrapping her mind about having one child, so six was definitely a stretch._

"_Well, maybe Sage and Finn will decide to take the tradition upon themselves?" Elijah asked, trying to change the topic from himself._

"_Hmmm, I suppose, she is expecting twins, so I guess they're off to a good start," Esther replied, accepting her son's attempt to take away the spotlight from Katherine._

"_I guess it's a good thing that with his lifestyle Kol isn't contributing at the moment," Katherine offered playfully, trying to improve the atmosphere._

"_Thank the Lord. I wouldn't mind if he had a vasectomy to be honest," Esther carried on with the change of subject, while they continued to eat their dinner in a most uncomfortable atmosphere._

* * *

"_Is it true?" she asked as they drank more wine, in front of the fireplace. Esther had long gone to bed, leaving the two of them to enjoy the rest of their night._

"_What?" he asked; completely oblivious to what she was referring to. They had been in silence for a while now, while he caressed her hair with his free hand, her head resting on his shoulder._

"_Do you really want to have half a dozen kids?" she asked moving her body away from his so she could face him._

"_It has been the plan for a while," he offered a small smile, looking away to the fire in front of them._

"_And how exactly did you plan on making that work with such a demanding job?" she asked, also moving her gaze to the flames._

"_I didn't put a lot of thought into it mind you. It was just always the plan," he answered half-honestly. He had put a lot of thought in the family he once planned to have, he just didn't expect to marry a doctor who would have a career as demanding as his, which was why he didn't think much of it. Until Katherine there wasn't a woman he thought of getting married to. It was hard to plan on a family without the progenitor._

"_Lijah, don't lie to me," Katherine scolded lightly having caught the half-lies by the way he made sure his eyes wouldn't leave the fire._

"_I'm not lying, Kat. As I said it was just something I thought about. How could I have made any serious plans if I didn't have the woman that would be their mother?" he said with a sigh, finally giving more information and being completely honest this time._

"_And now you have a girlfriend who doesn't want to have kids," she said, her voice lowered as she gulped. She shouldn't have dodged that conversation in the past when he had brought it up because it would have certainly become a large speed bump to their future together._

"_We don't need to discuss it now," he offered, but he knew all too well that it was something big, something they should discuss before he proposed._

"_Yes, we do, Elijah. Maybe you're thinking I'll change my mind as time goes, but I won't. I have never wanted to be a mother; I don't have a motherly bone in my body," she admitted, her voice filled with emotion and for a moment he wondered if she really didn't _want _to have kids or if she _thought_ she shouldn't have kids, given her childhood issues. Who knew what kind of trauma Katherine grew up with?_

"_But you also didn't plan on being in a serious relationship. You said you've never pictured yourself living with someone else," he said, although he wasn't trying to convince her otherwise. He just wanted her to see that she could have whatever she wanted. He knew she thought she was damaged, incapable of feelings, forming attachments, and just overall being a bad person. He'd been trying to convince her otherwise since they'd reconciled, but the scars on her heart were far too deep and had been there for too long for her to believe him in such a small period of time._

"_But that's different," she answered quietly._

"_And why is that?" he asked softly, rubbing his hand through her beautiful long curled hair._

"_My relationship with you won't be a problem to my career," she argued._

"_And kids would?"_

"_As I said, I just don't see it working with someone with such demanding careers as us," she explained slightly exasperated. He wondered for a moment if that was what really moved her to make such a radical decision._

"_But many surgeons have families," he answered, thinking about couples of surgeons he met in the past who had kids – some of which who worked at the Presbyterian._

"_And how much of good parents are they? I don't want to have kids just for the sake of it. Can you imagine how terrible it is to have parents that are never there for you? Why would I be so selfish? Why bring them into the world if I'll just ignore them because of my job?" she confessed, and Elijah could finally see that the problem wasn't lack of will of becoming a mother. Unlike her previous words, she had more than a motherly bone in her body if she was already thinking about her kids' well-being and happiness. He was now convinced it was indeed because of her situation with her own parents. Maybe there was more to the story than he knew or maybe her problems were deeper than he imagined._

"_You could be their mother and still be a surgeon," he tried to reassure her, but Katherine didn't budge._

"_Elijah, motherhood is not for me," she looked away from him. _

"_I can't understand how you can be so sure," he offered honestly, hoping he wasn't pressuring her too much. It wasn't about his wish to be a father; he wouldn't try to talk her out of her conviction because of that. But he could say she was repressing her wishes as well because of the bad experience she had had. He didn't want her to give up on any of her plans or dreams because of the messed up life she had growing up. He knew she had many trust, confidence, security, and abandonment issues, and that although she had dealt with them through therapy she was now gauging different things in her life. Maybe it was time for her to resume therapy, and talk about new horizons and possibilities. But how could he convince her?_

"_And you should start accepting it if you plan to keep me around," she snapped, and he knew he had reached his limit for the day._

"_You know I more than plan to keep you around," he reached for her hand, giving her a reassuring smile that warmed her heart._

"_So you keep saying," she offered weakly, with a small smile, and teary eyed._

"_You know it's true," he moved his hand to cup her cheek, and she closed her eyes, a couple of tears falling from them._

"_But now you know I won't be able to fulfill your Beckham football team dream family," she answered, half smiling, half crying. She didn't want to lose him. He was the best thing to have ever happened to her. He had been unexpected, but absolutely wonderful. And she knew it wasn't fair to ask him to give up on his dreams to be with her, but she didn't know how to walk away from him either._

"_Six is only half a football team," he kissed her cheek, chuckling softly, "And the Beckhams only have four children."_

"_You know what I mean," her eyes were down and staring at the hands resting in her lap, her glass of empty wine._

_Elijah reached for her chin, and moved her face towards him. He looked for her eyes, but she kept avoiding him._

"_Kat," he called softly and she finally looked up. _

"_I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Katherine, and if that's only you and me, then it'll be only you and me," the look in his eyes proving he was being completely honest with her._

"_It's not that simple. You shouldn't give up on your dreams because of me, "What if he resented her in the future? The niggling fear slipped from her lips fast. _

"You_ are my dream, Kat. You're all I need," he said, briefly kissing her on the lips._

"_You say that now, but how about I ask you again in a couple of years? Or five years from now?" she looked at him, and he could see the fear in her eyes. He wasn't sure if it was fear of losing him or fear of him changing his mind in the future._

"_The answer will be the same," he gave her hand a squeeze, but it wasn't enough to convince her._

"_If you say so…" she said weakly, and he knew she didn't believe him._

"_I know so, and that's why I think I shouldn't postpone it any longer," he said reaching for his suit's pocket._

"_Elijah…" she whispered shocked, seeing the velvet box in his hands._

"_You, Katherine, are the only person I need to feel complete, to make me happy, to make my life better than I ever thought it could be," he offered, honestly, a shine in his eyes she had never seen before._

"_Elijah…" her voice showed apprehension, but also anxiety._

"_It doesn't matter if you don't want to have kids. We won't have kids, I'll get used to the idea," he stated, in his usual confidence._

"_It's not fair for you," another couple of tears fell from her eyes. She shouldn't be so selfish and ask him that much… but she couldn't have kids, she just couldn't._

"_What is not fair is for you to keep me waiting for an answer," he joked, while he moved his eyes to the sparkling ring._

"_You never actually made a question," she smiled softly._

"_Will you marry me, Katherine Amelia Pierce?"_

* * *

"As I was saying, I was wrong about your brother and Caroline," Katherine said as they walked towards the surgery board.

"I hope that's not the only thing you were wrong about. I don't think Niklaus can afford any more heartbreak in his life," his demeanor changed. He had also seen the couple leaving the patient's room a few minutes ago, but unlike Katherine, who had only known Klaus for some time, he knew better. He knew his brother was devastated at the moment and he wondered what had happened.

"Has he been that hurt?" she asked curious. She'd never tried to make Elijah tell her what happened to their family. She knew it wasn't her place to know what his brother's feud and the rest of the Mikaelson clanwas about, but she also wanted to look out for her best friend, and after seeing Klaus so hurt, she also felt like someone should look out for the lone artist as well.

"More than I think is humanly possible to handle. But somehow he survived it, I'm happy he finally found someone to love him like he deserves," he offered, his demeanor still more stoic than it usually was around her.

"Caroline would never hurt him purposefully," Katherine offered, although she knew that was a lie. She had just hurt him deeply and the brunette debated if she should tell Elijah or not about their fight earlier that day.

"Let's hope she won't do so unintentionally either. Or that he won't punish himself for anything he does to her. Niklaus had always been the one to hurt himself the most," Elijah sighed, and Katherine felt sorry for her future brother-in-law. She knew how it was to be a broken person and Klaus seemed just as broken as she was a few years ago.

"Care is a fixer, a life safer. She didn't choose being a doctor just to follow Liz's steps. It's her thing. She saves people," Katherine reassured him, but she realized that she would have to have a talk with her best friend in the nearly future about how fragile Klaus could be under his tough appearance.

"Which is why she's one of my favorite people in the world, actually," he offered, and he could see Katherine was uncomfortable with his statement. As much as she said she wasn't the jealous type, he knew it was a lie, and even if it was her best friend, he could see the change in her expression.

"Is that so?" she asked casually, almost leading him to laugh.

"Yes, not only has she saved my brother, but she also helped the most important person in my world," he stopped to look at her, just a few feet from the board, where other surgeons were checking their next surgeries.

"Really?" she spoke while offering a big grin to her fiancé.

"I know she's been important to you since you arrived in New York. I know you love her like a sister. I'll be forever grateful to her for showing you that caring about other people is okay. You wouldn't have cared about me if you didn't care about her first," he explained, and although they never talked about it before, he knew he was right.

"I'm not so convinced I would have resisted your charms," she offered a playful smile, resisting the urge to bring him into her arms. That was why she hated having these conversations when they weren't in his office or at home.

"I know I wouldn't have resisted yours, I never stood a chance," he said in all seriousness, looking at every inch of her face, showing his love and devotion to the woman standing in front of him.

"I love you," she confessed, reaching for his hand, craving for any physical contact with him at the moment.

"I love you, too, darling," his thumb caressed her fingers, while they held their gazes for a long while before checking the OR to see where their surgery was going to be at.

* * *

Caroline worked with Mason the whole afternoon and the neurosurgeon was relieved to know she was better. He thought it was because of their conversation, but there was a shine in her eyes that wasn't there while they had spoken or when she had walked away from him just before lunch. They had back to back surgeries, and it was over seven when she scrubbed out from their last surgery.

Klaus was waiting for her in the locker room, drawing in his sketch pad. His pain had always brought the best of his inspiration, although since Caroline entered his life she had certainly become his muse. He had never drawn so much as in the past few months, and all credit belonged to his girlfriend. But after the difficult day they had, his hands were flowing with easiness and he felt like painting when they finally made it home.

"I'm exhausted," she said, sitting by his side, resting her head against the wall behind the bench.

"It's been a long day, I'm going to drive us home," he offered her a small smile, closing his pad in the process.

"Thank you," she answered, her eyes closed, her body nearly in pain.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," he kissed her forehead, before he stood up and opened her locker, taking her street clothes out from inside and handing it to her.

She smiled at him before lazily changing into the winter clothes he handed her.

"I'm ready," she said many minutes later.

"Let's go then," he offered, and just like earlier that day he reached for her hand unexpectedly.

Klaus had never been one for public affection – or any kind of affection at all, but with Caroline it was different, especially after the morning they had. Caroline didn't like to show affection at their work environment either, but she also felt differently about him. She had been low profile about her relationship with Mason in the brief time they were together after their relationship had become public. They had sex at the hospital plenty of times, but that was far from the public eye. When they were under the scrutinizing eyes of the Presbyterian staff they were collected and distant, except for a few looks at one another. While, until then, it'd been different with Klaus, she didn't care at the moment as they crossed the hospital's lobby, hand in hand. It didn't bother her when he reached for her head, and kissed her hair, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked outside.

Mason had watched the whole scene from afar. So they were indeed together, and by the looks of it, whatever happened earlier the day had been left behind. But he was still mad at Klaus for hurting her like he had seen in the morning. Maybe now it was more jealousy than anger, but he wouldn't let the resident think Caroline didn't have someone looking out for her. He would make sure to talk to Klaus the following day and he knew how… it was a good thing his sister was the chief of residency.

* * *

The following morning Klaus drove them to work and despite his efforts to arrive early to talk to his brother, Caroline was too tired and they were nearly late again. He hoped he was going to be assigned to Elijah, but when Serena gave them their assignments for the day he sighed realizing not only that he wasn't with the heart surgeon, but that he was with Mason. _Bollocks_. Serena knew her brother more than he gave her credit for and knowing that nothing good could come from his request to have Klaus on his rotation the day after he found out he was Caroline's new boyfriend, she also assigned Katherine to him to act as a buffer.

Both residents headed to the fourth floor to meet Mason. Katherine looked at Klaus closely. They were going to be family soon, and she cared about him not only because of Elijah, but also because of Caroline. But she was also just starting to relate to Klaus, even if she had no idea of what happened between him and his family, or how he may have led them to lose two siblings. That was the only thing she knew.

Elijah had been clear about Henrik's death, but he'd always been vague about Rebekah. He only talked about her recently and didn't seem comfortable at all talking about the only sister he ever had. While he didn't look happy talking about Henrik, it was only sadness and guilt that showed through his words and expression. When it came to Rebekah it was something dark, and Katherine noticed he never looked her in the eye while talking about his sister.

As she walked by his side she wonderedwhat kind of demons Klaus had to face that made him so shallow and cautious. What kind of problem would lead him to be apart from his family for so long? She had purposefully mentioned Klaus while she was in London and Esther reacted positively to the mention of her estranged son, as well as Kol when they met briefly before she and Elijah flew back to the States. It couldn't be the same kind of problem she had with her parents because she didn't think they would react at the mention of her name like the Mikaelsons reacted at the mention of Klaus. They were happy to hear from the resident and seemed eager to meet him soon.

Katherine wasn't one to have heart to heart conversations with anyone but Caroline and Elijah, but she was compelled to let Klaus know she would be there for him if he ever wanted to talk about anything, including Caroline. She wanted him to know he could talk to her about things he couldn't talk to Caroline about. He was quickly proving to the brunette that he was worthy of her trust and he wouldn't do Caroline any harm. She was finally warming up to her brother-in-law.

" ?" Mason asked surprised when both residents reached the nurse station where Mason was already waiting for them.

"Dr. Lockwood." she greeted curtly. Now that was a man she didn't have a lot of respect for, even if she knew he wasn't a bad guy.

"Are you with me today?" he asked confused, yet to acknowledge Klaus' presence, but the Brit wasn't complaining. The less he had to talk to Mason Lockwood the better. He had a short temper and it seemed like Mason shared the trait.

"Yes, sir,"

Mason sighed heavily. He should have known Serena would see through his actions. But she was right; he wasn't supposed to request a resident to be on his service because he wanted to talk – and probably more – about personal issues.

"Dr. Mikaelson," he finally acknowledged the other resident, who was standing by his interns.

"Dr. Lockwood," Klaus and the interns followed their attending doctor for the day.

"I have a craniotomy this morning and an aneurism in the afternoon, both of you can scrub in both sure to have one of your interns. For now, let's go check the patients and do the pre-ops." Mason explained, as the gaggle of doctors followed him.

There wasn't a moment Mason was alone with Klaus, and the New Yorker could see that his plan hadn't been a good one at all. It was unlikely for him to be alone with Klaus even if Katherine didn't stick along. He had five interns following him everywhere, and he knew he would have to wait until the end of their shifts to confront the resident about Caroline.

"Is Dr. Forbes feeling any better, Dr. Pierce?" Mason finally asked after they finished the rounds.

"I didn't talk to her," Katherine answered honestly. She had yet to talk to her best friend since the day before, but based on Caroline and Klaus' demeanor the day before and when they arrived in the morning, they didn't seem to have any more problems.

"You live with her Dr. Mikaelson, is she better?" Mason asked avoiding eye contact.

Klaus didn't answer, although he didn't ignore Mason's question. He was actually distracted by his thoughts. He needed to talk to Elijah and was hoping to be able to do so later. According to Katherine his brother had a couple of surgeries as well, but none of them were expected to last long.

"Klaus?" Katherine asked louder.

"What?" he asked, finally turning to look at the brunette.

"Caroline. Is she feeling better?" Mason asked.

"Why wouldn't she?" Klaus asked irritated by Mason's audacity at asking about his girlfriend well-being.

"She wasn't at her best yesterday," the neurosurgeon stated.

"Yes, she's better. Just a tough day," Klaus answered showing his annoyance and discomfort talking about his girlfriend with her ex.

"Good, you better make sure it stays that way," Mason threatened, his eyes darkening slightly, leading Klaus to react the same way.

"Look, that's Elijah, I think now is a good time for you to talk to him," Katherine suggested seeing her fiancé crossing the nurse station ahead of them.

"I'll meet you in the OR," Klaus offered to Mason before pursuing his brother.

"Is Caroline really into this?" Mason askedKatherine as soon as Klaus left, the interns going off to do their daily activities as well, leaving the resident and the attending alone.

"I don't think this is a job related question, Dr. Lockwood," Katherine answered politely, despite how much she wanted to slap him for even asking about Caroline in the first place.

"She can't be," he said more to himself than to her.

"With all due respect, Dr. Lockwood, but you already had your chance with her and if you didn't blow it up, she wouldn't be with Klaus now. He may not look like boyfriend material, but I'm sure he won't be such a complete douchebag to her like you were," Katherine replied coldly taking Mason by surprise.

"Excuse me, Dr. Pierce?" he asked shocked by her words.

"I know you're my boss and I shouldn't talk to you like this. But this conversation isn't professional so for now, right at this moment, you're not my superior. She went through hell and back because of what you did to her. How the hell could you possibly forget to mention that you were married? And then, when your wife shows up, you chose her over Caroline? You _broke_ her, _you humiliated her_, and you didn't consider her feelings for you at all. And yet she was _into you_. You don't get to ask if she's into someone else, you lost that right the moment you disrespected in such a terribly way. I'll see you in the OR, Dr. Lockwood," Katherine said, before leaving an awestruck Mason behind.

As much as he hated to hear those words, he knew the resident was right. He had his chance and he messed up. He felt like Caroline was the one for him, the one girl that would make him believe in marriage again, the one girl he could see himself spending the rest of his life with. But he had hurt her and it seemed like he wouldn't ever have a chance to make amends.

* * *

Elijah didn't have a chance to talk to his brother, but said they could meet thirty minutes before their shifts ended. He was happy Klaus had looked for him, confirming his suspicious the previous day that something was bothering his brother.

Klaus and Caroline scheduled a lunch date. It was a quiet day at the Presbyterian and they could have lunch at the same time, along with the rest of their friends.

"Hey," the blue eyed girl greeted everyone at the table when she joined them.

"Here, sweetheart," Klaus offered pulling the empty chair by his side to his girlfriend. As soon as she sat, he lightly kissed her head, asking her about her morning.

"This is so corny. I had no idea The Original Evil could do corny," Katherine mocked, with a happy smile on her face.

"Shut it, Pierce," Klaus answered, although he was hardly annoyed by the comment.

"I suppose everything is okay today?" Katherine asked, looking briefly at Elena, who looked down. The younger brunette still felt guilty for all the pain she had brought to her sister and her boyfriend.

"Yes," both answered together, leading Caroline to giggle at their synchronism. "I'm giving you a shot here, Mikaelson. You blow it; I blow up your liver, okay?" Katherine said playfully, but Klaus could see the subtle threat.

"Thanks for your approval, _mom_," Caroline offered playfully when Bonnie also joined them.

"You've got Kat's seal of approval, Original Evil?" the hazel eyed girl asked having heard them as she approached the table.

"So it would seem," Klaus shrugged.

"I'm yet to hear about your romantic little getaway. Yesterday was crazy. Where did he take you?" Bonnie asked and Caroline started to report her weekend away with Klaus withholding some details in consideration to Elena. Except for Katherine, no one knew about her sister's feelings for Klaus, and therefore, they didn't think it was awkward to talk about their relationship in front of Elena.

No one seemed to catch how uncomfortable it made Caroline, although the blond was also happy that her friends weren't as cautious about them being together as they were. It seemed like all it took for Klaus to gain their sympathy was to take her on a romantic weekend getaway. She had to admit though, not even she expected him to do something like that, but it had been enough to prove to everyone else that he was serious about their relationship, especially when he asked Serena to rearrange so many residents' schedules. Klaus wasn't as evil as everyone else assumed.

* * *

Caroline was doing some paperwork, thankful for it for once. She hated doing it, but she was particularly exhausted today, and it was only Tuesday. She needed all of the less demanding jobs for the rest of the week if she was going to make it to Friday. It was a good thing Katherine didn't mind changing their night shifts the following week. She still had to pay for the shift Kat covered for her a few days ago. She heard him before she saw him with his heavy footsteps. Looking up serenely from her peacefully job at the nurses' station she watched as Mason approached her.

"Hey," he offered. She looked over him for a quick moment before staring back down at the work in front of her, replying a greeting in the same to him. She knew how Klaus was uncomfortable about Mason. After all she had unintentionally let him think she was back with the neurosurgeon, and if Damon so much as had a mere thought that she still had residual feelings for her boss, maybe her boyfriend thought so as well. And that was one thing she didn't want him to feel insecure about in their relationship. She had no doubts about who she wanted to be with; Klaus, not Mason.

"How are you feeling?" he flashed a warm smile at her which she missed.

"Fine. Caroline's fine, or actually fine?" he asked smirking, knowing she was trying to hid most of her emotions.

"I'm actually fine," she offered him a small quirk of her lips, shaking her head slightly.

"You know, we could be friends. You're a good girl, a good friend, so good that some of your friends even fall for you," he chuckled and this time she didn't resist and also laughed lightly. She couldn't deny he still had a way to put a smile on her face. "I know I wasn't a good boyfriend, but I think that must mean I can only improve as a friend," he offered slightly sad.

"We aren't exactly close, Mason. You're my boss, being your friend doesn't seem natural," she reasoned, although she would probably give it a chance if she wasn't with Klaus. But her priority was her boyfriend.

"We've been the closest two people can be, it's only natural for us to still be close, even if the nature of our relationship has changed," he touched her arm.

"Mason, you lied to me, hurt me, rejected me, abandoned me when my mother died and when I almost died in the same crash as my mother. The relationship between us has more than changed." she took a large breath of air before continuing, looking him straight in the eyes, "I can't trust you, Mason, and I don't think a friendship is possible without trust," she moved her arm from under his touch, her eyes teary, her heart tired of hurting. Why couldn't he let her be?

"Caroline, I know I've lost you. I know no amount of apologies would fix what I did, but I also know that I could make up for it all by being a good friend to you. You can talk to me about anything, and if Mikaelson ever doesn't treat you right or hurts you, you can bet I'll teach him a lesson," his tone becoming harsher, much harsher, towards the end of his tirade. Unfortunately his words did not have the effect he was hoping for with the boiling resident in front of him. She snapped at him immediately. _He had no right_.

"Did any of my friends teach you a lesson when you hurt me? When you lied to me?" she asked so coldly that he remained quiet. "That's what I thought. If nobody gave you a piece of their mind when you lied to me, then Klaus certainly doesn't deserve it. He would never lie to me like you did, Mason. I forgave you, I understand where you were coming from, but we can't be friends. Not yet,"

"You seem so friendly with Rose, why can't we be that close?" he insisted, and she frowned. Why was it so important to him now? He had to give her time and space, why was he suddenly trying to force her into a friendship that would only hurt her current boyfriend?

"Why are you so insistent?" she asked and he looked away, guilt flashing in his eyes. Then it hit her.

"You don't want to be my friend; you just don't want me to move on. You want to be close enough, to take any chance you might have. You want me to break up with him," she said, conjuring the audacious idea in her head, and when he didn't answer, she knew she was right. "I'm sorry, Mason, but you just proved we can't be friends now and maybe not ever. Excuse me," she said angrily, before heading to an on call room. He had no right to keep playing with her emotions like that. He had no right to make a move on her now that she was in a relationship.

Klaus was about to approach them, as he was under Mason's services, but detoured when he saw his girlfriend walking down the opposite hallway. He took the chance to pass by Mason when the neurosurgeon sighed, looking down at the papers in his hand, and followed Caroline, as he could clearly see she was upset.

He watched as she entered the on call room, but the door was locked when he reached it.

"Caroline," he said knocking the door "It's me, sweetheart."

She didn't answer or make any movement towards the locked door. She knew Klaus probably saw the exchange, and she didn't want him to have the wrong impression about her tears. She wasn't crying because she still loved Mason, she was crying because even when they weren't together her ex-boyfriend still hurt her. He was trying to destroy her relationship with Klaus, to see her heartbroken again, so he could take her back the moment she was down. That was low- even for him.

"Please, Caroline, let me in," he pleaded, and a few moments later he heard the lock turning.

"Are you okay, love?" he tilted his head, his heart clenching seeing she had been crying as he silently entered the room.

"I'm fine,"

"You're not fine. You're crying locked inside an on call room after talking to Mason. You're far from fine, sweetheart," he offered, locking the door behind him, and walking towards her, promptly bringing her to his arms.

"I'm fine. It's just PMS," she tried to cover, still wiping her tears.

A light tutting noise emitted from his mouth as he shook his head, "I know you're not close to your period. I do buy your tampons love, or had you forgotten?" he chuckled lightly, and for once she hated that after so many months he finally took responsibility to do the grocery store.

"It's nothing to worry about Nik. I'm stressed. The past couple of days had been intense," she offered a soft smile to him, and he nodded.

"Okay. But if you need to talk I'm here, okay?" he decided against pushing the issue. She would talk to him if she felt up to.

He knew that was the right thing to do, but still there was a small sting in his heart seeing her crying after she talked to Mason. It wasn't only overprotection, but also insecurity. He hated to know her ex still influenced her emotions like that, and even if she said she loved him and not Mason, it hurt to see how the neurosurgeon still held possession of some of the strings to her heart.

"Thank you, baby," she offered a warmer and more honest smile this time, pecking him on the lips.

* * *

The rest of their shifts was uneventful and soon it was time to leave. Klaus was waiting for Elijah, who had a complication is his last surgery of the day, but twenty minutes later he decided against waiting anymore. That would be his first attempt to open up to someone in ten years. He had shared some things with Caroline, most of them unintentionally, but he now wanted to really talk to someone. He didn't trust anyone, but the heart surgeon used to be his best friend for eighteen years. The man he used to look up to, the man he shared everything with. But after that night things had changed between the brothers forever.

They'd been getting closer again in the past few months and Klaus dared to hope that maybe they could be brothers again. He didn't want to keep lying to Caroline, but he was afraid to tell her the truth. There wasn't a way for him to keep up with all of his half-truths much longer. He would either hide his visitors from her or he would have to explain everything to her. He needed his brother's sensibility. Elijah had always been the voice of reason, the honest guy who had a perfect vision of every situation, and Klaus missed having him by his side. His older brother had been more than his sibling. They used to be best friends, comrades, always and forever and for ten years he had missed it.

Somehow he had managed to live all by himself for the past decade, but now he needed his best friend back because he feared losing the one girl he had ever really loved because of his past, and he hoped his brother could help him with that. And yet, even if Elijah gave him his best advice, it would still hurt Caroline and the mere prospect of that hurt him deeply. She didn't deserve his lies, but he didn't know if she could handle the truth and he was the coward that was willing to keep lying to her as long as he could keep her.

* * *

_AN: Kalijah proposal, yay. And here you thought I had skipped it, huh._

_The aftermath of Klaroline fight isn't done yet. Expect the unexpected next (how terrible does that sound?). There's a **HUGE** surprise coming and I don't even mean Klalijah bonding for most of next chapter. It's earth shattering (in the earth of this fic)._

_I really want to thank all my reviewers, you guys are amazing, and as I can't answer my guests reviews through PM I'll answer here:_

_guest 1: I don't think Elena only changed her mind about Klaroline because she cares only about Klaus and not about her sister. The point was that she thought Caroline was just having fun with Klaus... she didn't expect either of them to have feelings for each other. That's why she changed her mind. I know you want to slap Caroline for hurting Klaus, does it help that Katherine will be on her case next? She will address that very thing you mentioned in your review. And no more fallout from the Klena hookup._

_guest 2: I'm sorry you think Caroline is unlikable as she's the one giving up on him on every bump (though I'm sure that's exactly what happened). As I said, Katherine will address it with all letters and Caroline will have a shock of reality._

_el: No, Rebekah isn't Klaus and Tatia's daughter. She was (is) his sister._

_Some people guessed it was Esther and Rebekah, others Tatia and Klaus' daughter. Both theories are really good, and I'm not dismissing either._

_Special thanks to my wonderful beta, **Erin**._

_Have a nice weekend, lovelies._

_PS.: This Joseph fan here is all over the moon about the Originals spinoff. Let's make it happen people. Caroline will land there eventually, I'm sure. After all we do have that great input from the dance: Small town boy won't be enough for her and she'll come to him, except it won't be in a century. It will happen, I have no doubts._


	20. Chapter XIX

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XIX**

* * *

It took had taken Caroline by surprise when Elijah and Katherine had come to her house late that night, almost 9:00pm, especially because it was a work night. Her friends rarely visited, and when they did it was usually on the weekends.

"Apparently the boys need to talk," Katherine offered, taking Caroline upstairs, while Elijah and Klaus went to the study. His brother had brought a fine bottle of Klaus' favorite whiskey predicting his brother would be needing it. And since Elijah would be indulging in some alcohol as well, Katherine was the designated driver. Elijah had an idea of what was to come, and if he still knew his brother after so many years, then a designated driver was most certainly going to be needed.

"Do you have any idea what this is about?" Caroline asked as the girls entered her bedroom.

"All I know is that Klaus tried to talk to Elijah this morning, but since it's been such a busy day in cardio he was unable to." Katherine shrugged.

"Hmm, Klaus has seemed a little off these days. I noticed it first at the resort, but I had thought it was reading too much into his mood. But when we came back he still seemed quieter than usual, and then of course all hell broke loose yesterday," the blond sighed and she was thankful her best friend was there for her, this time without judging her boyfriend. Their fight and the week she didn't have Katherine's support had showed her just how important the brunette was to Caroline sanity.

"Elijah seems to agree," Katherine added, and it only made Caroline more worried. If she was right and something was happening it couldn't possibly related to their fight the day before. Which meant that something _had_ happened while they were away. But what could it be? Everything was going so great. And if she could cancel out one possibly problem it was definitely the sex. Because so far, she had been having the best of her life, and he seemed pretty satisfied with their chemistry as well.

"Do you think it's about his family?" Caroline asked. The brunette shrugged."Well, at least he's talking to someone," Caroline offered, but Katherine knew her friend was disappointed she wasn't the person Klaus was talking to.

"It may be related to his family, I don't think Klaus has other things going on in his life. The only thing he seemed to focus on before coming to the Presbyterian was his career, and he certainly doesn't have any issues at the hospital. And he isn't one for relationships, so it's not like you need to worry about a secret family," Katherine offered, but instead of making Caroline calmer, she made her friend tenser.

"Or maybe this is just my thing with boyfriends. They hide their families from me and when they show up they choose them over me. God, I should have seen this coming." Caroline fidgeted nervously with the hem of her top.

"Please, Caroline, could you ever see Klaus married to someone? Especially last year's version?"

This brought a small smile of relief to the blond's lips, "Not exactly, but he's always been one of those guys who has an unbelievable number of notches in his bedpost," Caroline sighed, thinking the worst already.

"Exactly, womanizer doesn't scream family,"

"Maybe he doesn't have a wife, but what about kids? With the percentage of the females he's slept with, I wouldn't put it past him," the blond added, and for that Katherine didn't have a comeback. It _was_ a possibility.

"Why are we even talking about a hidden family again?" the brunette asked, and Caroline shrugged saying she was the one who mentioned it."Klaus has been really hurt, Caroline. He's had a very difficult life and he's a broken man, cut him some slack," Katherine said, her voice going soft as much as the look in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Caroline asked confused by the apparent change of subject.

"If he does have a kid somewhere and if he's hiding it from you is because he already has a lot on his plate," the brown-eyed woman offered, and Caroline's eyes widened at the suggestion.

"Are you honestly defending him for lying about something as serious as having a secret kid?" she asked confused.

"No. I'm not defending him, I'm just saying his situation is by definition different from Mason. Klaus doesn't know how to handle emotions, and according to Elijah you're probably his first real relationship. Which mean he doesn't know how to properly handle this one. You've become the most important thing in his life, and it's easy to see that he will do everything he can to keep you," Katherine tried to explain, but even _she_ was surprised by her words.

"Who are you and what have you done to Katherine?" Caroline asked, no humor or amusement tracing her voice. Needless to say she was more than shocked at the words coming from Katherine's mouth.

"It's just… for the first time I think I've looked beyond the surface. I tried to see where he was coming from, and even if I don't know what happened between him and his family and whatever his responsibility may be for both Rebekah's and Henrik's deaths, it has to be something that changed him completely. No one can go through experiences like that and not be." Katherine explained, but Caroline was still shocked to hear the words.

Katherine sighed seeing her friend barely following her explanation.

"All I'm saying is that it must have been hard on him to feel responsible for two deaths, especially his own siblings' deaths. The Mikaelsons are a close lot. Elijah told me more than once that they had always been close when they were growing up and that only when they went their different ways it was because of their professional choices, but not even being miles away made them grow apart. Elijah still talks to Esther almost on a daily basis and with Kol and Finn at least once a week. Once he told me he, Rebekah and Klaus were the closest siblings could be." Katherine took a deep breath, "What I mean is that losing her and feeling responsible for it must have been too hard on him,"

"I know… he yells her name when he has those horrible nightmares," Caroline offered, not being able to hold her tears back. She knew Klaus had a difficult life and it broke her heart to see him hurting as much as he did when he had those terrible nights. She could see it in his eyes; all the pain, the guilt, the loneliness, the hopelessness.

"All I'm saying is that maybe you should be more understanding when it comes to him. Not only does he not have a single clue of what he's doing when it comes to relationships, but also because he comes with huge emotional baggage. If he's lying it's because he's afraid of losing you because he has a kid or because of something he's done," Katherine reasoned and Caroline stayed silent for a while.

"Do you really think he could have a kid?" she asked, still confused at how they rapidly jumped to the conclusion out of nowhere.

"Honestly, no. I heard the nurses saying more than once he's a poster child for condom advertisements," she shrugged.

"But maybe… he only is now because in the past he hasn't been and it brought about a whole wheel of consequences… like a child?" Caroline's neurotic persona was coming into play and Katherine knew it was time to bring her friend back to reality.

"Caroline, we don't know if he even _has_ a child. And furthermore, we don't know what happened all has happened in their family. We don't even know for sure he's hiding something from you. He could be asking for relationship advice for Elijah for all we know. I just wanted to say that Klaus isn't your typical guy next door. He's troubled, he's damaged, he's broken and he's dark for a reason. Elijah is absolutely sure his brother is invested in this relationship, with everything he has, and he says he would never hurt you purposefully, but he's afraid of you breaking Klaus' heart and it being more than he can handle," Katherine spoke confidently, finally telling Caroline what she had been planning to say all along.

"I wouldn't break his heart," Caroline scolded her friend.

"Except you broke up with him just yesterday because Elena is in love with a womanizer, former womanizer, whatever." Katherine rolled her eyes, "Elena, the girl who chose to do her residency where her half-sister was so they could become best friends and forget about the twenty-whatever years her father ignored you. Elena, who thinks everything is _unicorns and rainbows_ and who gets too involved with her patients. You let someone who probably still believes in Santa convince you to break up with Klaus," insert another painful eye roll at how annoyingly clueless Elena was. She had a hard time accepting Caroline's sister and her boring and irritating personality. Not that she would ever admit it, but Katherine felt slightly threatened by Elena. She wasn't willing to pass the best friend post to someone else.

"She's my sister," Caroline tried to reason weakly, but she knew Katherine had a point. It still brought pain to her heart to remember how she had found Klaus the day before.

"And he's easily broken, you know that now, first hand. That's what I'm trying to say. If you can't bring yourself to be more understanding and think of him before breaking his heart, maybe you shouldn't lead him on." Katherine shivered, remembering how devastated she had been when Elijah broke up with her after Liz died. She and Klaus had a lot more in common than she thought. She could understand him better than anyone else.

"I'm not leading him on and it hasn't been even a week since you were degrading him! Just a few days ago you were telling saying to the four winds how dysfunctional we are," Caroline raised her hands defensively.

"And I still have the same opinion because you're both damaged. I'm a broken person too Caroline and the only reason why I'm still with Elijah is because he isn't. I know he's been deeply hurt by the tragedies of his family, but somehow it didn't affect him as mine has affected me. When I'm being insecure, weak, hopeless, uncertain, or a bitch he puts me back together. Now, between you and Klaus, you're both deeply hurt. If one of you isn't being reasonable, like yesterday, you'll just lash out and there will be consequences," the brunette tried to explain, but it only irritated and frustrated the blond more.

"You still have no faith in us, that's what you're saying?" Caroline's eyes filled with sadness in addition to tears.

"It's not about faith, Caroline…"

"Yes, it is," she looked away. That was what Klaus had admitted was bothering him. Caroline wasn't totally convinced it was just that, but she knew he was uncertain about their future. She only hoped Elijah had more supportive words for him than Katherine did.

"I'm just trying to look out for both of you. I want you guys to make it. I want you guys to be happy. But yesterday just proved what I told you last week." Katherine tried to avoid the 'I told you so' tone the best she could, even though that was exactly what she was saying. She didn't want to prove she was right; she just wanted to help her friend make it last with her boyfriend.

"And what do you want me to do? To break up with him before our relationship becomes too deep and a potential future breakup may be the last straw?" Caroline asked defeated, her tears now falling freely. She had a feeling she was already in too deep.

"No! I'm just saying you are both so fragile, and yet you're depending on each other not to break. Have you stopped to think if it was him breaking up with you yesterday, out of nowhere? Can you imagine your life without him? I may have been blind to see this relationship coming, but I haven't been blind to see how much you started depending on Klaus in the months before the shooting," Katherine reached for her best friend's hand, squeezing it, offering a tender look that was so rare in her features.

The blond didn't need to voice an answer because Katherine could read it in her face. Her tears even more intense as she imagined the scenario Katherine proposed. She didn't know how she and Klaus had such an intense relationship in such a short amount of time, but everything Katherine was saying was true.

"How can you know it all?" Caroline offered a broken smile, while she tried to wipe her tears away.

"Well, I could take all the credit and pretend I know it all, but really it's all Elijah. You know how observant he is. He knew about you guys before everyone else based solely on how you behaved around each other. He knew about his brother's feelings long before Klaus had been shot as well. But it's not just that, he's just good at reading people and most of what I said came out of his mind. He doesn't have a clue about your fight yesterday, but he knew something was very wrong with Klaus the moment he laid eyes on him." Katherine smiled softly as she talked about her fiancé. She was becoming one of those _people_. The 'Elena' kind of people that lived in a world where everything was pink and perfect. But Elijah was really the closest she ever saw to human perfection. His flaws were so minimal and few that most of the time she even forgot he had any.

"I still can't believe you're defending Klaus, and asking me to forgive any potential lie or mishap he may have in the future," Caroline laughed a little stronger.

"I just realized he and I may have a lot more in common than I first thought," Katherine looked away briefly, but Caroline didn't realize, too focused on blinking her tears away as she looked at the ceiling.

"You're both evil and bitchy," she offered wittingly.

"Because we hide our pain .Because our families are so messed up," Katherine offered, but her own wit was missing, and Caroline frowned slightly, trying to see the meaning behind her friend's words.

"You relate to him,"

"It's not that hard. Although I don't know what happened between him, Rebekah and Henrik, I do know he and Mikael had a terrible relationship and his father was rather abusive," she said, knowing for sure Caroline didn't have a clue about it. She knew she didn't have a right to say it, as much as Elijah shouldn't have said it to her, but she wanted Caroline to know what she was dealing with.

Caroline didn't have anything to say to the information, but her mind was certainly reeling, thinking hard about the news. She knew Katherine had a point, and coming down from the shock of having her friend badmouth Klaus to defend him in the span of only a few days, she realized she may have hurt him yesterday more than she thought.

* * *

While the girls discussed Klaus and Caroline's relationship, said man and his brother discussed more complicated issues. Klaus didn't know how to start the conversation, and had emptied two tumblers of whiskey while Elijah waited for him to say something.

"Mother called me this morning,"

"You do keep in touch on a daily basis, but I bet Kol monopolizes most of your conversations," Klaus smirked weakly, still trying to avoid the conversation he wanted to have more than anything else. It was just too hard to face old demons.

"True, but for a change his name wasn't mentioned… much," Elijah shook his head at how his brother always found his way into his conversations with their mother.

"I don't want to talk about family, Eli," he offered, and his brother nodded, waiting for Klaus to move the conversation where he wanted.

"I've been lying to Caroline and I don't know how to stop. I don't know if she'll want to be with me when she knows everything about me. How many times can I use the omission card? Is there any difference between omitting the truth and lying?" the blond haired man sighed, reaching for the bottle, refilling his glass and also his brother's, who had only sipped his tumbler so far.

"It took Katherine a breakup and over seven months for her to tell me about her… troubled past with her family," Elijah offered, trying to comfort his brother and show him that some things didn't have to be said right away.

"I'm sure Katherine doesn't have the same kind of skeletons I have in my closet," Klaus laughed dryly.

"You'd be surprised," Elijah finally took to the glass in his hand with vigor, emptying it with one long gulp, the poison burning down his throat.

"Is she responsible for taking away the lives of two of her siblings?" Klaus asked bitterly.

"Niklaus, you didn't take their lives away," Elijah tried to reason. It was the first time that they were talking about what happened ten years ago in those terms. Much to his embarrassment and regret, they had had this conversation before, but back then the older Mikaelson didn't seem to think much differently from the younger.

"Except I did, brother. I'm the sole cause why Henrik is now dead. If I hadn't started using cocaine, he would never have turned to drugs himself and consequently never would he have overdosed." Klaus admitted with a heavy voice. The truth had finally spilled from his mouth for the first time in years. Though the thoughts and memories always crossed his mind tormenting him, voicing them was much worse.

"Still… those were his choices Klaus, not yours," Elijah offered the words he should have said ten years ago. He grimaced remembering how he had accused Klaus of leading their youngest brother to death. He remembered how he been harsh and cruel to a man that already felt like he was the most disgraceful man to ever walk the earth. For once Elijah wished he could turn back time and do things properly, but the devastation of Rebekah and Henrik hindered him at the time.

"He was only fourteen, Elijah! He had just lost his sixteen year old sister, he didn't know better!" Klaus' voice rose, as he emptied yet another glass of whiskey while trying to reign in his rage and stop himself from breaking Caroline's study like he had broken so many places before.

"And you were only eighteen, Niklaus. You were a boy yourself, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders," Elijah offered calmly, but inside he was breaking apart. He could see the same pain, guilt, and self-hatred he witnessed ten years ago. There was nothing he wouldn't do to change how his brother felt about himself.

"I was the reason why Rebekah was good as dead in a hospital bed. It was I had who led our baby brother to drugs. I think I'm entitled to have the world rest heavy on my shoulders," he answered bitterly.

"She was still fighting. She was seriously injured, but she was still fighting," Elijah stated the facts straight, but he knew it didn't matter to Klaus.

"She was as good as dead… and then she stopped fighting altogether," Klaus whispered, a tear rolling down his face at the memory of Rebekah's system shutting down.

"There was nothing you could have done, Niklaus,"

"I should have taken better care of her instead of fucking your girlfriend," Klaus yelled, and Elijah shushed him, his index finger showing the girls were upstairs, but Klaus couldn't care less if Caroline heard him. Maybe ripping off the band aid was the best thing to do. If she learned at once what a monster he was, maybe she would kick him out and spare him from the heartbreak he knew was certain to come.

"True, but you couldn't have known, brother," Elijah once again said the words he wished he had said back then, instead of calling his brother every foul name imaginable.

"It doesn't change anything, Elijah. Bottom line is I was the cause of my brother's and sister's lives being taken away from us," Klaus looked away from his raven-haired man, the pain too much to handle at the moment. It felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest. It was unbearable and all consuming, but he couldn't avoid it. He couldn't hide from his actions and their consequences.

"Don't be so hard on yourself,"

"My actions cost them their lives. They were only children,"

"Yes, you chose Tatia over Rebekah, and yes, you used cocaine as an escape and Henrik followed suit, but you didn't purposefully cause any of this. You couldn't predict what happened that night, and you couldn't imagine Henrik would consume so much crack… so much that no human body could have sustained the results. You tried to make him stop once you found out. You talked to mother, you did the best you could to remedy the situation. It was still his choice, and he should have known better." Elijah knew Klaus wouldn't exempt himself from all the guilt, but he could at least try to make his brother see that although he made a lot of mistakes, tragic and terrible ones, he wasn't _directly_ responsible for what happened to both Rebekah and Henrik.

"He was the poster child for health. He was smart." Klaus felt even worse remembering how full of life Henrik used to be. He was such a happy boy, the sweetest among the Mikaelsons. The one who deserved the least of such a horrible fate.

"You can't be held accountable for others' actions, Niklaus,"

"But his big brother, the man he looked up to was _high,_ all the time, he thought that was what he needed to do in order to deal with losing Rebekah," Klaus looked at Elijah, his eyes red, tears falling freely.

"Kol didn't take the same route, and we know he's always been the most reckless of all," Elijah tried another tactic, but he had a feeling nothing he said would make Klaus feel differently. He would carry the burden for the rest of his life and it saddened his older brother's heart knowing that the blond would never be fully happy because of the guilt he felt.

"Kol and I've never seen eye to eye, it's no surprise he did the opposite of what I did," Klaus answered sarcastically.

"You didn't see eye to eye because you were the same. He would never admit it, but you have always been his role model. Finn and I were too old for him to look up to and way too serious. He's the one who hurt the most when you left. You have no idea the amount of times he tried to convince mother to go after you, how he talked to me and Finn more times than I could count," Elijah said and that seemed to have surprised Klaus, but it only lasted a moment.

"Then I'm consoled in knowing I'm only responsible for destroying two lives instead of three,"

"Finn and I were the ones who should have taken care of you. We both knew mother was a shell of a woman while Mikael was just being his usual unreasonable self," Elijah confessed.

"Within reason, he's always been right about me," Klaus laughed humorlessly. That was what he hated the most about himself, to know Mikael had been right about him all along.

"Nothing that man had ever done was within reason," Elijah reacted immediately, hatred and bitterness dripping from his words.

"Still you and Finn sided with him," Klaus looked briefly to Elijah and the older brother could clearly see that his actions also had an impact on how Klaus felt about everything. It would have made a difference in his brother's life if he had been more understanding instead of feeling humiliated by Tatia's choice and Klaus' selfishness. _He_ was the mature man, the adult between the three of them. When Klaus had needed him the most, he had failed him because he couldn't overcome his pride being hurt.

"Finn was already living in Scotland, he didn't know what was happening. I admit my poor judgment of our situation," he looked down, not being strong enough to look at his brother for the moment.

"I think me fighting for the affections of your girlfriend justified your hatred for me," Klaus offered and Elijah could see his brother was far from playing the victim card. He really meant and believed those words. The self hatred he developed since that day was cemented on him, probably forever.

"I've never hated you, Niklaus and she was never my girlfriend. I should have known better. I was twenty-six while you and Tatia were both teens. While I don't approve of either of your actions, you were both too young. I knew how alluring she could be, even for a nineteen year old. If I didn't stand a chance, how could have you? I should have backed off." he once again apologized, but it met empty ears.

"You met her first,"

"Let's not discuss Tatia; she's not worth it," Elijah offered, refilling his tumbler again.

"But Caroline is. She deserves so much better than me, and she'll come to the same conclusion when I tell her everything, when I show her my true colors," Klaus felt the tears making a comeback. The sole thought of losing her cut the air from his lungs.

"She's the most forgiving person I've ever met," Elijah offered with a small smile.

"Not even she can forgive me for what I've done," Klaus answered honestly. He knew he didn't deserve any forgiveness, let alone love, just like Mikael had always said, and it broke him all over again because he was too much in love with her to let her go.

"We all forgave you, brother," Elijah offered warmly, but it seemed like Klaus didn't even registered the words.

"I shouldn't inflict pain on her, I'm just destroying her like I did with Rebekah and Henrik," Klaus said barely above a whisper.

"She'll hurt when she learns the truth, but because she loves you, because she wants you to forgive yourself and to be happy. She won't judge you," Elijah offered, thankful that Caroline actually seemed capable of doing what he had just said. He had seen firsthand how Liz treated her and he knew that although she was also broken, the blond girl had the biggest heart in the world.

"I've hurt her," Klaus answered angrily, his voice raising all of sudden.

"Is this about your fight yesterday?" Elijah asked, knowing about the fight, but still now knowing what really happened.

"You knew about it?"

"There were many versions of it going on in the hospital's corridors; I'm yet to know which one to believe. Probably none, but I know you fought, I saw the two of you yesterday,"

"I actually physically hurt her," Klaus admitted and Elijah was at loss of words. He didn't know what to say and he wondered if maybe Katherine wasn't the one right about his brother. He knew Klaus used to be a good boy, but maybe all those curveballs turned him into someone he didn't expect. Still seeing how tortured he looked by what happened he knew in his guts he wasn't wrong about his brother. Klaus loved like no one he ever met. With an intensity that consumed him; that turned him into a murderer if he must, to defend those he loved. He was loyal, he was protective and he didn't hold back.

"And I have a feeling you aren't seeing the facts straight, Niklaus. I know you and I know you love her. The last thing in the world you would do to any woman was hit on them, especially not on Caroline," Elijah offered breaking the short-lived silence between the brothers.

"A few months after I left London, I started having constant nightmares about finding Bekah's lifeless body… somehow the nightmares evolved into fits of rage. I used to break everything around me. I could only see red. The red of her blood, the red of Tatia's dress, the red velvet of Henrik's coffin," Klaus said and his eyes were for a moment null and void of anything, as if he were in a trance.

"And you hurt Caroline in one of those fits, I suppose?" Elijah asked, but he already knew the answer. When Katherine had talked to him about Klaus' episodes, she hadn't mentioned him attacking her best friend, but it wasn't that unexpected, he doubted Caroline would admit it to Katherine.

"I don't remember what I thought was going on, but I lashed out on her and she hit her head on the nightstand. She had minor bleeding and concussion because of me," Klaus confessed, the tears he had bravely held back until then, finally winning their battle against his will.

"That was an accident, Niklaus," Elijah stated the obvious, but Klaus only shook his head.

"One she wouldn't have with a normal boyfriend,"

"As far as I can say per the gossip, her last normal boyfriend has crushed her heart lying about a wife and choosing said wife over his girlfriend," the older Mikaelson reasoned, and for a moment Klaus felt worse about someone else other than himself.

"Don't compare me to that piece of shit," he offered angrily.

"Exactly. A normal boyfriend, as you say, has hurt her more than you." Elijah tried to show it to Klaus, but he knew there was a huge loophole in his theory, and the blond didn't wait a moment to show him exactly what that was.

"But I'm lying to her the same way he did," he said through clenched lips.

"Caroline isn't naïve, Niklaus. She knows something must have happened for you to have your night episodes and to have not talked to your brother for a year, after not seeing any of your family for nearly ten," for the first time Elijah's words comforted Klaus. He knew Caroline had many suspicions. She even mentioned Rebekah once and she had seen firsthand what he was capable of doing. She knew there was a story to be told, and she knew it wouldn't put him in the best light. Maybe there was a chance she would forgive him from keeping such important things from her.

"Still… she has no idea of how complicated my life is," he sighed, remembering the lies weren't the only problem. Whether he told her now or in ten years, he knew the weight of his actions would change her view of him.

"What else is there?" Elijah asked. He had wanted to know what had happened to his brother in the many years they had no news about him.

"More than she can forgive me for. Trust me, she already forgave me for the unthinkable as it is, and she doesn't know anything significant yet," Klaus offered, and Elijah emptied yet another glass, taking the bottle and refilling both of their tumblers.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that? I'm here to help you brother. I'll offer you an honest opinion at the end of it all," Elijah suggested

Klaus sighed, but nodded his head, needing more liquid courage before he began describing his odyssey to his brother.

* * *

Caroline and Katherine had heard when Klaus admitted to 'fucking' Elijah's girlfriend, but both shrugged, having no idea of what he meant, except for the obvious. The brothers stayed locked away for a long time, and it was way past midnight when Katherine and Elijah headed home.

The brunette had been surprised to find her fiancé so intoxicated. The heart surgeon was always responsible and collected. She had never seen him drunk before, but she could say, even if he was silent since he called her, that he had drunk way too much, and would have a major hangover the following morning.

Caroline found Klaus in a much worse condition when she entered the study. He no longer had a glass in his hands, but was taking long gulps from the bottle of whiskey.

"Hey, come on, let's get you to bed. It's late and we have to work tomorrow," she offered sweetly, as she removed the bottle from his grip, kissing his head before helping him stand up.

"I'm sorry, love," he offered, his eyes bloody and puff. She could say he had cried in addition to have drunk himself in a stupor.

"It's no work," she replied, as she helped him stand up.

"I'm sorry I ever hurt you, I don't deserve you," he continued and she wondered if he was even aware of his words or if they were just drunken confessions.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," she admitted, tears filling her eyes again, but she kept them at bay.

"No, sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for. You aren't responsible for taking anyone's life, you never lied to me, you were nothing short of kind and understanding," he looked at her eyes, and she knew it wasn't the alcohol talking. Somehow he was quite conscious of what he was saying.

She waited until they finally reached her bedroom, and sitting on the bed, she reached for his hands.

"I shouldn't have broken up with you yesterday. Katherine is right. I'm damaged, I'm lost, I need help. I've been postponing the therapy thing, but I'll schedule an appointment first thing tomorrow. Alaric recommended one of the hospital's therapists and I'll work on my problems. I made a mistake yesterday and it hurt you. I don't want to do it again because I don't have a grip on my emotions, or because I'm insecure and feel like I should be accommodating to everyone in my life just so they'll accept me. If Elena can't forgive me for being with you, then there's nothing I can do. I fell for you, I'm in love with you, I want to be with you. I know she's my sister and she has feelings for you as well, but somehow you chose me and I won't back off. Nik, I'm so sorry for what I did yesterday," she apologized, her tears breaking from their ducts and kissing the creamy skin of her face.

"There wasn't a choice to be made to start with, sweetheart. It has been you since hello. I never actually stood a chance," he smiled softly, wiping her tears away.

"I know my actions said the opposite of what I'm saying now, but you need to know this, Nik. No matter what happens, no matter what you have done, no matter what happened to your family and to you ever since you left England. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter who you slept with or if you have a son somewhere in the world. It doesn't matter. I know you somehow blame yourself for what happened to your sister and I know you've lost another sibling in addition to her. But even if you pulled the trigger that killed them, unintentionally or not, you're not losing me. I don't know what happened ten years ago and I don't know if you're guilty or not… I know you're keeping a lot of things from me, but I also know they have consumed you for years and I can see the weight of them in your eyes and the regret lurking in your pain. I don't know the man you were ten years ago or even the man you were when you came to the Presbyterian.

"But I know the man you are now, I know you, the real you because sometimes, even for a second, you let your walls down and I can have a glimpse of who you are under all the pain and guilt. I love you, all of you and when you're ready to tell me what happened I'll hear you out. And if you don't want to talk about it, if you want to keep the past buried in the past, I don't mind, I already know everything I need to know about you. Nothing you tell me will change how I feel about you. I can gather from everything I've witnessed that you've been through a lot of tough things and maybe, maybe you are the one to blame for them, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter who you were back then, all that matters to me is the man sitting in front of me right now. I love this man, I love you, Niklaus and nothing you can tell me will change that," she offered. Klaus sat dumbstruck at her words.

Elijah was right when he said there wasn't anyone else as forgiving as Caroline in the world. It only convinced him that he didn't deserve her, but at the same time he felt like she was his salvation, the light to the never ending darkness that was his life.

Not knowing how else to answer to her heartfelt speech, he simply wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her for dear life.

"I won't judge you, even if you shock me with the truth. I don't need to know your past to know who you are. But if you want to share, if you want to open up, if you want me to help me, just know I'm here for you and I won't leave," she reassured him, while holding him tight.

"Thank you, Care," he whispered and she only nodded, kissing his hair, the salty taste of her tears invading her lips.

* * *

Klaus felt like there was a hammer hitting his brain from the inside. It'd been a while since he had such a strong hangover, but somehow he found a way to work through his day. That was until Mason had summoned him to his office, just after lunch.

That was the last thing he needed, but the neurosurgeon was pulling the boss card, and there was nothing Klaus could do to avoid it.

"Please, close the door behind you, Dr. Mikaelson," Mason said without looking from his laptop.

"How can I help you, Dr. Lockwood?" Klaus asked from the door, still standing. Mason didn't bother to offer the man to have a seat, and closing the lid of his computer he looked up at the resident for the first time since he entered.

"I've come to understand that you're with Caroline?" Mason didn't beat around the bush.

"And I don't see how that is any of your business," Klaus answered just as straight, not backing up, especially not after the conversation he had with Caroline the previous night. He would fight for her against whoever he needed to. He wasn't giving up on her if she wasn't giving up on him.

"I'll make it my business the moment you hurt her… again, as she seemed quite distraught the other day before she broke up with you," the neurosurgeon's eyes were like blades, the Lockwood fire burning in them, but it didn't intimidate Klaus.

"I can assure you I'm doing a much better job than you did," Klaus retorted, his anger also boiling.

Hearing those words actually softened Mason's features. For a moment Klaus could see a flash of pain cross his green eyes, but the resident didn't have any compassion or sympathy for the man who broke Caroline's heart.

"I know… and I'm not sure she could endure going through all that again. She may not talk about it, and I'm sure you haven't heard more than a couple of words from her about the subject, but losing Liz has been hard on her. She pretends like everything is okay, that she isn't hurt and that she's strong, but that's just a cover. Her mother had a heart attack with Caroline in the car. She almost died with her mother that day, and although her body was unscathed, a part of her died with Dr. Forbes. Liz was the worst mother I have ever seen, and I don't even think I should call her a mother in the first place. Caroline has been deeply hurt by both of her parents. It's my knowledge that she's now trying to reconnect with her father, but she has serious abandonment issues and she feels insecure. She feels like she is everyone's second choice," Mason sighed, feeling sorry for the women he still loved. No child deserved what Caroline went through, but someone as kind and forgiving and sweet as Caroline deserved it even less.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Klaus asked momentarily confused.

"Because she seems to like you. I could see it in her eyes yesterday and as much as I can't stand you, she deserves to be happy and if that's with you, then so be it," Mason offered defeated.

"So you're trying to help me?" Klaus asked incredulously.

"I'm actually threatening to make your residency a living hell if you break her in any way. As you mentioned, I have my share of guilt on everything she has going on. I know I broke her heart in the worst possible way. But the most important thing for me now is her happiness. Can you make her happy, Klaus?" Mason asked, his features a mix of softness and toughness.

"There isn't anything I'm not willing to do for Caroline," Klaus answered, and although the threat was clear in the attending words, the green-eyed man just gained more respect from the Brit than he ever thought possible.

"Then we're done here," Mason offered curtly. Just because he was trying to make up for his mistake the previous day with Caroline it didn't mean it didn't hurt to know she now had someone by her side.

Before Klaus could answer Mason's pager beeped and the neurosurgeon stood from his chair, following Klaus outside.

They were both going to the PIT – where Klaus was working that day – but they didn't say another word to each other.

"What happened?" Mason asked one of the interns who had paged him.

Klaus went looking for his own interns when he passed by where Mason and one of his interns were talking, but before he could register a word of what they were saying, he laid eyes upon the patient in the stretcher.

"Rebekah…" he whispered, seeing his blond sister with blood all over her hair.

* * *

_AN: Oh look who didn't die ten years ago. I know many of you called it, but now you can be sure of it. Rebekah didn't die back then. And there's plenty of story to come next, but not the fateful night she was almost killed. And yes, that's the expression. She was nearly nearly murdered. It was no accident, it was no disease, it was nothing sort of attempted murder._

_And you also have Caroline realizing that she will have to fight more for Klaus than she thought. That there's more than she honestly realized. She knew he had issues, as well as she does, but only now she understood what Katherine said in their fight a few chapters ago. I love her speech to him and trust me, she'll keep her words._

_Now is Rebekah the one Klaus talked on the phone with or is it just a freaking coincidence? You'll find out that next, along with a couple of pregnancies. Yes, pregnancies as in plural. Will Rebekah survive again? As hinted in this chapter, her life will be in Mason's hands. And we'll learn everything that is to learn about the night Liz died and Caroline almost joined her._

_Thanks to my lovely reviewers - I see some of you went on hiding last update, I hope this one was good enough for you to present me with a few words. And a special thanks to my lovely beta, **Erin**, who sent me the chapter earlier, reason why it's posted earlier as well._

_And one more comment: tonight episode was perfect. In my world, a show where the four Originals are the stars is the best thing on television. _

_xx_

_Bárbara_


	21. Chapter XX

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XX**

* * *

_What had happened to her? What if she has a tumor? What if she's dying?_ Klaus thought going straight to Elijah's office. But unfortunately his brother wasn't there. He had texted Elijah informing him about their sister's admission to the hospital and headed to the closest on call room, locking it behind him.

The images of seeing her now were mixing with the images of ten years ago and for a moment he didn't know what was real and what wasn't. He didn't have enough strength. She couldn't die. He needed someone to keep him sane otherwise he would lose it. He needed Caroline.

_I need you. Come to the OCR near my brother's office. _

Caroline had just finished a surgery with Isobel. She had missed lunch with Klaus, but their patient had been quiet the handful. At least he was alive. She scrubbed out slowly, still tired after the emotional night they had all had. Even after they had finally lain down to sleep she couldn't find herself slipping away into any dreams. Katherine's words kept coming back to her as she looked at the man sleeping by her side wondering what sort of terrible things he had been through. It had truly broken her heart and she had made a promise to herself she would be faithful to her words to him — no matter what. It didn't matter what he had done in the past, she would be there for him.

Once she was finished scrubbing out, Caroline made her way to the cafeteria, checking her phone as she did so. She was certain he would know she couldn't make lunch, but maybe he had been delayed as well. She smiled when she saw that she did indeed have a text from him, but the moment she opened the message her smile faded. She knew something was wrong, and her feet couldn't bring her fast enough to the on call room.

There weren't any OCRs near Elijah's office, but even after checking each of the ones on the same floor she couldn't seem to find Klaus. She checked the time stamp on her phone… the message was sent fifty-one minutes ago and she wondered where else could he have gone to. She called him, but there was no answer, making her worry even more.

She asked the nurses and interns that were on the same floor, but no one had seen him. _Maybe he had to scrub in? _She wondered before going to check the board, but he didn't have surgery until later in the afternoon. He wasn't in the PIT. He wasn't with his interns. And the Old Man's room had been vacated the previous day due to his death, but Caroline checked his room anyway. Thinking over one last place she ran to the parking lot to see if his car was still there. It was which mean that he hadn't left the hospital. During her search she called him several times, but each one went unanswered. She was about to look for Elijah when she came across Katherine.

"Have you seen Elijah?"

"Have you seen Klaus?"

Both women asked at the same time.

"No, what happened?" Caroline was the first to answer.

"I don't know exactly, but Esther is here. I'm looking for her, but I can't find her anywhere. She asked for Elijah, Klaus or me," Katherine informed, and Caroline felt her heart skip a beat. It couldn't be good if Esther was there.

"Have you seen Klaus?" she repeated her question and Katherine just shook her head negatively.

"I'm going to try and find Esther, are you coming?" Katherine asked, texting Elijah for the third time.

"No, I need to find Klaus first," Caroline offered, heading to the second surgery floor.

She was wondering what she would do when she passed in front of Mason's office. She looked inside out of habit, but she was shocked to see not only Klaus, but also Elijah and a woman she thought could only be their mother.

"Nik…" she said weakly, entering the room, four heads turning to look at her.

"Caroline…" he whispered, tears falling from his eyes.

The female resident looked quickly at Elijah and Esther and found the same expression showing on their faces, Esther crying copiously while Elijah's eyes were red. Something had definitely happened.

"What happened?" she asked, not knowing if she should enter further in the room or not.

"I'll keep you posted," Elijah offered quietly to his brother.

Klaus nodded, and stood up, quickly hugging his mother before walking out of the neurosurgeon's office.

Caroline led them to the closest on call room. She could already see the prying eyes following them. While they walked she texted Katherine informing where Elijah was. She felt her phone vibrate when she locked the room's door behind them, knowing it was her friend thanking her, but she didn't check. Her only concern now was her boyfriend.

"What happened, Nik?" she asked feeling her tears coming up as well. She thought she had seen him at his worst when she found him at the Old Man's room just a few days ago, but nothing compared to what she was seeing now. He was a shell of the man that she knew. He wasn't enraged like when she had found him destroying his sketchpad, but he looked much more heartbroken.

"Rebekah," he simply answered, and Caroline frowned.

As far as she knew his sister was dead. What could have happened to make him and the rest of his family look like that?

"What happened?" Caroline asked unsure.

"I can't lose her, sweetheart. Not again," he said and moved his head to her chest. His phone started to ring, but Klaus seemed too lost in his breakdown to even notice it.

"Hello," her voice cracked.

"_Who is this?_" a heavily accented female voice asked, her voice showing her confusion, but also unmistaken tears.

"Caroline, but this is Klaus's phone. He can't right answer now," she answered, not thinking for a moment that it was his mother.

Esther could listen to the sobs of her son, and it only made things worse. She had no idea who Caroline was, as if she didn't register her son words just a few moments ago when he whispered his girlfriend's name.

"_I'm Esther, Klaus' mother. Dr. Lockwood has managed to get the images he has asked for,_" Esther offered after Elijah nodded his head to his mother, before following Katherine outside. Mason had just explained Rebekah's condition to them, and he had to look for Dr. Saltzman as he was in no condition to operate on anyone else while someone would be opening up his sister's head. For the second time.

"What happened?" Caroline asked unsure, Klaus still unresponsive, crying quietly against her chest.

"_Do you want to talk to Dr. Lockwood?_" Esther suggested, knowing that the blond would probably update Klaus about what happened.

"Sure," Caroline answered

"Mason, it's me, what happened?" Caroline said as soon as she heard the familiar voice.

"_She's had a concussion, she's bleeding. I'm going to operate on her as soon as possible,_" he offered and Caroline felt her heart drop from her chest.

"How serious do you think it is?" Caroline asked, watching carefully to see if Klaus would react to her words, but he didn't seem to even notice she was on the phone.

"_It's a tricky spot, hard access and the bleeding is quite significant. Her mother told me she found Rebekah on the bathroom floor when she woke up, around eleven, but the blood coming from her nose was already dry,_" Mason explained, and Caroline nodded, although he couldn't see the gesture.

"Thank you, Mason. Please keep me posted, I'm with Klaus," Caroline offered before hanging up.

"They're going to operate on her," Caroline offered quietly, but Klaus didn't show any reaction. She didn't even know if he had heard her, but he already probably knew they were going to operate on Rebekah even before the call.

Caroline tried to reach out to him, but she hadn't been successful. It seemed clear to her that he was in shock. She had offered to call Elijah, but Klaus protested, that being the only reaction she got from him in the thirty minutes they were there.

_We're scrubbing in to operate on her,_ Caroline read on her phone. She forwarded Mason's text to Katherine, not knowing if her best friend was in a similar position with Elijah at the moment. The older Mikaelson was collected, but so was Klaus most of time and her boyfriend had completely lost any composure he had. He wasn't crying at the moment, but he was still unresponsive, his thoughts lost somewhere between the present and past.

Katherine's answered her text saying Serena already knew of the situation and had cleaned Caroline's and Klaus' schedules for the rest of the afternoon. It seemed like Elijah certainly coped with things differently than Klaus, as in after thought she mentioned that she was going to scrub in, while Elijah would be staying with Esther while they operated on Rebekah.

Caroline continued to hold her quiet and pensive boyfriend while her mind wandered. Both she and Katherine thought Rebekah was dead. Katherine even spent a couple of days with Esther during the holidays and no one had ever mentioned Rebekah, and the female Mikaelson sibling definitely didn't make an appearance. She wasn't too surprised by them being in New York as Katherine had said the previous night Esther was coming. Of course the brunette didn't mention Rebekah, and Caroline wondered if Klaus even knew about them before his sister was admitted as a patient to the hospital.

It was a sort of comforting knowing that Klaus only had to deal with one death instead of two, but now that his sister was going through a complicated surgery made her wonder if the former was true at all.

* * *

_How is he?_ Caroline read on her phone almost two hours later.

_Calm, but unresponsive,_ the blond answered the older Mikaelson doctor. Klaus had moved to lie on the bed, his head on her lap, as she soothed him with her soft touch. She didn't know what to say. She thought Rebekah was dead until a couple hours of ago and they didn't have any update from Mason. To keep herself sane she kept repeating mentally that no news meant good news. She remembered how she had been in the same position a few months prior, when her father was admitted. Of course she couldn't compare Klaus' relationship with his sister – even if she knew nothing about it – and her relationship with her father. But that was irrelevant; in the end it was family and it didn't matter if you're close to them or not, it would always be a heavy situation to handle.

When her mother died eight months ago Caroline didn't go through all of this. Firstly, because she was a patient herself. She had lost consciousness briefly, but she had only ended up with a few scratches from the broken windshield, and the burn from the airbag, nothing more. By the time they were finished with her, she already knew her mother was dead. Actually Liz had died from the heart attack she had, even before the car collided with the street lamp post. Caroline had been in shock for a couple of hours, and when Katherine took her home, she went to her bedroom, crying, while her best friend tried to soothe her, in vain.

Although her romance with Mason had been recently discovered by then, Liz had been happy that they weren't together anymore and that her daughter had made a good decision. The resident didn't correct her mother about her assumptions because for once her mother wasn't judging her. Yes, Caroline had broken up with Mason the moment she found out about Rose, but she had approached him again to listen to his side and was more than willing to forgive him. But when they talked, he had informed her that he was willing to give his marriage a second try. It had broken Caroline's heart all over again.

Caroline was still devastated the following day, and for some reason Liz had chosen that moment to approach her daughter. She realized Caroline's spirits were down and invited her to have dinner at one of their favorite restaurants in the city. It was rare, but sometimes her mother invited her to go to the Italian place they both loved. Caroline had been a second away from declining her mother's invitation, but thinking her day couldn't get worse, she agreed and they left the Presbyterian at seven o'clock sharp.

Caroline would never forget that night. For the first time since she could remember Liz behaved like her mother, and not her boss. Even before Caroline had become a resident at the hospital her mother had treated her like a subordinate, never a daughter. And yet, from time to time Liz would invite her to have dinner at La Cantina Fellini, although it was never to check on her, but on her progress through med-school. Liz followed her daughter's grades as if Caroline was still a kid, and of course she didn't hide her disappointment when she thought her daughter could have done better – which was always. Liz had set the bar too high for anyone to ever reach it, but Caroline still felt like a failure.

The resident wasn't sure if that night had been so hard on her because for once she had a good time with Liz or because of the loss itself. She wondered more than once if those hours would have been so hard on her if her mother had been her usual stoic and cold self instead of the almost warm version that had laughed at Caroline's stupid jokes.

* * *

"_I'm proud of you, Caroline. I know I don't do a good job to showing it, but I'm very proud of you. Not only do you have a brilliant future ahead of yourself in medicine, but you've become a beautiful woman, inside and out," Liz offered while they waited for the check._

"_Thank you, it makes a world of difference to know you're not disappointed," Caroline said, on the verge of tears, but she held them back bravely, knowing her mother hated any sign of weakness._

"_If anything, I'm disappointed in me, honey. Now let's get you home because we both have to wake up early tomorrow and I know you appreciate your sleep beauty just as much as I do," Liz offered with a gentle smile, getting a soft one from her daughter in return._

* * *

Those had been the last significant words the two exchanged. Not five minutes into their drive to Caroline's place, Liz had suffered a heart attack and lost control of the car. It collided head first against a lamp post. From time to time Caroline still had nightmares of seeing the pole in front of her mother's car just before it collided with the Mercedes her mother drove.

She was still reminiscing about that awful day, when Klaus startled her. Suddenly having woken up from his trance, and moving into a sitting position quickly.

"What did Mason say? Are they still operating on her?" he asked promptly, and she wished she had better answers to give him, but she didn't.

"She'll be okay, Klaus" Caroline offered with a small smile.

"What did the bloody doctor say?" he yelled frightening Caroline. He had never reacted like that around her. She had seen the same anger when he woke up from his nightmares, but it was never really targeted on her. Elena once commented that he had been really angry on his interns a couple of times and that it had been frightening, and now Caroline was experiencing it firsthand. It reminded her of when he asked her to leave the old man's room a couple of days ago, only it was much more intense now.

"She's being operated on for a traumatic brain injury but its cause was unidentifiable. She has a concussion towards the back of her head and some damage was done to her face as well. She has suffered blood loss, from her nose and her brain is bleeding," Caroline rambled the information Katherine had texted her earlier, as she had yet to hear from Mason since he scrubbed in.

"How bad?" he asked, his voice still louder than usual, but closer to his usual tone now.

"Bad, but not unmanageable," Caroline answered and looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her scrubs. She didn't know how to handle him in a situation like this. It was clear he was angry, but it wasn't unintentional like in during his rage episodes. He seemed quite aware of his emotions at the moment, but still it seemed like he had little control over them.

"Are they still operating on her?" he asked quietly, a few moments later.

"Yes, I haven't received any update since they started about two hours ago," she said unsure. Klaus inhaled and exhaled sharply, he had noticed that he had frightened her, but even if he wanted to acknowledge it now he couldn't. His head was too preoccupied with thoughts of Rebekah.

"Didn't Mason say anything else?" he asked tiredly, leading her to bite her bottom lip, not knowing if she should alarm him more or not. Mason didn't give her much information, but he had given her enough to conjure up a decent scenario about Rebekah's condition.

"He's the best neurosurgeon in the city, she's in good hands." Caroline answered softly, a crippled smile showing on her broken face.

"What are you hiding from me?" he asked with fear. He could read Caroline's face with his eyes closed. He knew she didn't say the worst yet, and he wondered what it could be.

"Mason said the bleeding is in a tricky spot," Caroline said before looking away.

Klaus stood up and started pacing in the small room.

"She can't die, she can't die, she can't die," he started to chant like a mantra, his voice barely audible.

"She won't. I trust Mason," she stood up holding both of his hands on her own.

"Mother… she's probably going crazy," he said suddenly remembering of Esther.

"Elijah is with her," she offered, and moved him to the bed.

They sat with his head resting against her shoulder as they waited. She wanted to ask him what happened to Rebekah prior to that morning, but she knew it wasn't the right time for that. Whatever it was that happened to his family hadn't killed Rebekah physically, but Caroline was sure the female Mikaelson had died in some way all those years ago. The guilt in Klaus' eyes assured her about it.

* * *

About an hour and a half later Caroline's phone started ringing. Checking the caller, she saw it was her ex-boyfriend and she didn't hesitate in answering.

"So?" Caroline asked holding Klaus's hand tightly and giving him a reassuring look.

"_We've been able to control the damage. She isn't bleeding anymore, but it's too early for us to know if she'll make it,_" the neurosurgeon explained, and she sighed, closing her eyes.

"She made it," she offered to Klaus, knowing it would calm him enough.

"Have you talked to Elijah and Mrs. Mikaelson already?" she asked. She knew Mason and she was positive the first thing he did after he scrubbed out was call her. And she wasn't wrong.

"_No, I'm going to Dr. Mikaelson's office, where they told me they would wait for me. I'm going to give them a full report about everything that happened there… maybe Klaus should be there too._" Mason said with a small amount of hesitation, and in that moment she knew Mason had bad news to deliver.

"We'll be there in a few," she answered, thanking him and hanging up.

"He's going to your brother's office. I guess your mother and Elijah are waiting for him there. Maybe we should go and hear everything he has to say." Caroline offered, and Klaus only nodded.

* * *

"Do you want to go home?" Caroline asked as soon as Mason left the office.

Klaus nodded, but didn't follow when she stood up.

"I'm going to talk to Serena," Caroline offered, and he nodded again.

"I love you," she whispered, before kissing his cheek.

"I love you, too" he answered, holding her face in place, in front of him, their foreheads touching.

She pecked his lips chastely before leaving the family to have some privacy. Esther had asked most of the questions to Mason, while Elijah seemed to be listening attentively, with no questions leaving his lips. Caroline, knowing her ex-boyfriend better than anyone else, also asked a few questions to which nobody liked the answers. Klaus had stayed quiet throughout the whole exchange, only thanking Mason for saving his sister's life.

Unfortunately, none of Mason's answer assured them about Rebekah's recovery. The bleeding had been stopped and the small damage had been fixed, but the neurosurgeon couldn't know for sure if there would be any consequences. She had crashed once in the operating table and although they had quickly brought her back it was still another factor that could leave her with after-effects.

"How did she injure herself?" Klaus asked, his voice hoarse and quiet.

"We think she fell in the bathroom briefly after mother and she arrived at the hotel, around four in the morning," Elijah explained, and Klaus cursed in his head. He couldn't believe his sister was in such a condition because of a fall. How stupid did that sound?

"Did you hear something?" Klaus asked his mother and she shook her head.

"The blood in her nose was dry when I found out her," she gave him the same information she had given Mason and Elijah earlier.

"How has she been? Her voice and words seemed great on the phone," Klaus asked, and Esther couldn't stop a new batch of tears from falling.

"She's been great since she talked to you Saturday," Esther offered weakly, "The best she has been ever since the accident. She was talkative and excited to come to New York," Esther said, and for the first time since he found out about his younger sister's condition, Elijah actually cried.

"She shouldn't be here, it's not fair," Klaus stood up, throwing his brother's chair across the room. He couldn't believe that when Rebekah finally seemed to recover she would get hurt and get worse again.

"Rebekah is strong like no one I know, Niklaus. She's survived her organs shutting down ten years ago and undergone multiple surgeries. Even crashing in a few of her previous surgeries. She will make it through this, just as before." the heart surgeon tried to reassure the resident, but he knew it was a lost battle because Klaus was right. It wasn't fair that once Rebekah finally started to resemble the girl she had once been, she would injure herself in such an ordinary way, risking all the progress she had taken ten years to make.

"But she shouldn't be hurting like this, Elijah. Just because nothing brings her down it doesn't mean she should keep being subjected to these things," Klaus yelled, tears streaming from his eyes continuously.

"There is nothing we could have done to prevent it, Klaus," his mother offered.

"Tell me everything, tell me how she has been since I visited last summer," he sat by Esther's side, hearing has his mother described the latest accomplishments made by her only daughter.

* * *

Caroline went straight to the board to see if Serena was on surgery, but she wasn't according to the information there. Katherine was with Alaric and Bonnie with Damon. She wanted to talk to her friends before she left, but she knew it wouldn't be possible.

The chief of residency frequently used her best friend's office to do all the paperwork as it was quiet and Rose rarely went to her office. The residents' locker room was never quiet enough, and Serena said she needed peace to work. She hated doing it – as most surgeons did– and the smallest noise would annoy her and make her lose her concentration. That was why Caroline decided to go to the fifth floor and check the pediatrician's office. She could have paged Serena, but she wanted to clear her head a little bit. It had been a difficult week, one she couldn't have predicted in her worst nightmares, and she just wished it would all be over already. But who knew how long it would take for Rebekah to wake up? Mason said it could be in the next few hours or not happen at all. The moment the neurosurgeon discussed the possibility of Rebekah never waking up, Caroline reached for her boyfriend's hand only to find it shaking uncontrollably. Rebekah had to wake up; otherwise she had a feeling Klaus would be the one in a coma, even if his eyes were open and his senses responsive.

She knocked on Rose's door and waited for Serena to call her in, according to the nurses; both the resident and the attending doctor had entered the room no longer than ten minutes ago.

Serena opened the door, not expecting to find Caroline there, but relieved to know it was someone she could dismiss easily. The younger blond was probably there to let her know about Klaus' sister condition.

"Hi, Dr. Van der Woodsen. I would like to know if it's okay if Klaus and I headed home earlier. Mason just finished operating on his sister, and she isn't expected to wake for a few hours," Caroline asked, frowning slightly as Serena blocked her view from the room.

"Sure, but I need you back tomorrow. I talked to the Chief and we agreed to give the rest of the week off to Dr. Mikaelson," Serena said, and Caroline nodded, looking behind the taller blond, seeing Rose burying her head on her hands.

"Is everything okay with Dr. Sawyer?" Caroline asked, actually looking concerned about the pediatrician.

"Just some unexpected news," Serena offered, looking briefly at her best friend, before asking Caroline if that was all.

The resident thanked her chief, before she walked out, stealing another glance at the distressed attending inside the office.

"It was Caroline, it seems like Klaus' sister surgery went well, but I didn't ask any questions," Serena said closing the door behind her.

"Hopefully she'll survive. Mase is the best in the city, so she got the best shot she could have had," Rose offered with a small smile. "What am I going to do, S?" she asked her best friend, a tear rolling down her face.

"You'll tell him, you can't hide it from him," Serena said. Although she was Rose's best friend, Damon was her best male friend. He was like a big brother, much more than her mentor and she knew Rose shouldn't keep it from him even for a day. He may be a little bit self-centered, but he had a right to know it.

"But this is Damon Salvatore, Serena, the definition of selfishness and manwhore-ness," Rose offered dejectedly.

"He may be a manwhore, but he cares about you. You said to me more than once that he's been sending clear messages about commitment. He wants to be with you, Ros," Serena approached her friend on the couch, offering her shoulder for the pediatrician to cry on. "I've known Damon most of my life, and I work with him in a daily basis. I can see the way he looks at you, he's always trying to fish for information about you, and just last week he tried to convince me to put in a good word about him. I may even go as far as saying he's falling for you,"

"I've been married for eight years, Serena. I've had the maternity bell ringing so many times, and each time I silenced it because it wasn't the right time. When I finally felt like I was in a good place to become a mother, my marriage fell apart and eighteen months later I'm pregnant with a womanizer's baby," Rose cried, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.

If it had been Mason's baby and if they were still together, even if struggling, she would be on cloud nine, but that wasn't the case. Damon may be ready to be in a relationship, but she knew for sure he didn't want to be a father. And how could anyone imagine Damon as someone's father?

"I know this is not ideal, and I was going to tell you this on the weekend, but maybe it'll cheer you up a little bit," Serena offered, biting her lower lip nervously. She didn't know if it would comfort Rose or make her feel even worse about her condition.

"What?" the hazel-eyed doctor looked up at her friend.

"I'm twelve weeks pregnant," Serena did her best to hide her excitement, but she was sure she didn't tune it down completely.

"What?" Rose asked shocked by the news.

"Please tell me that it comforts you to know we'll go through the same thing instead of making you hate me," the resident asked unsure, not knowing what to gather from Rose's reaction.

"I don't know what to say," Rose answered honestly.

"I know you, Ros, and I know my pregnancy may make you feel even worse about yours, but try to look on the brighter side of things. We'll do it together. I know your situation with Damon isn't ideal, but we could be godmothers to each other's babies and become sisters again, sort of," Serena said, not holding back her excitement at all. "You'll be my pediatrician, the baby's godmother and the one I'm going to look up to," Serena said less cheerily, but Rose was still quiet about it. "Please say something. Please tell me you're not thinking I'm a bitch with the worst timing ever," the green-eyed resident asked, growing more and more anxious at her best friend's silence.

"We'll do it together…" Rose said quietly.

"Yes!" Serena clapped her hands, with a small smile on her face.

"I'm sure Damon will be much more receptive to the idea than you think. Everything will work out and our baby girls will have each other, just like we do. They'll be best friends and the most gorgeous babies ever. Have you seen us and our beaus? If there's anyone that could challenge Ryan in the dashing department it's Damon," Serena tried to cheer her friend up and she actually made a smile crack on Rose's face.

"Do you really think he'll be receptive to the idea of becoming a dad?" she asked unsure, biting her lip just like her best friend did moments ago.

"He's growing up. He's thirty-three, it's about time he starts being responsible," Serena offered softly.

"Maybe you're right," Rose smiled weakly, still unsure about Damon's reaction.

"I'm always right," the younger blonde shrugged.

"You've been spending way too much time with Damon," she shook her head, smirking just like said man would do.

"I happen to love your baby's dad. Seriously, he may freak out for five minutes, but I'm sure in a couple of days he'll be all over you and the baby," Serena offered and stopped refraining her cheeriness altogether.

"He will freak out at first, won't he?" Rose chuckled, trying to imagine Damon's reaction.

"Until he finally sees that he'll be putting a mini-him in the world. Then he'll start going on and on about how his baby will be the most awesome baby ever, and that it'll be his master piece of beauty, that no one can make more dashing babies than him, yadda, yadda, yadda," Serena rolled her eyes, with a broad smile.

"Oh my God, what did I do? I created a monster, and I don't mean you, sweetie," she said, rubbing her still flat belly.

"You totally did,"

"You mentioned girls... do you already know the sex?" Rose asked, wondering how far along she was. She was positive Serena was farther than her as her best friend was at the end of the first trimester while the pediatrician had just found out about her pregnancy.

"No, but I'm sure we're both having girls," Serena offered confidently.

"I feel like Damon would prefer a boy,"

"Please, he's totally a baby girl kind of man. And a little girl with his looks and yours will drive him crazy. I can't wait until I can joke about all the boys that will do to her exactly the same he had done to all those girls he deflowered," Serena giggled, wondering how he would react having a girl.

"Please, no, I can handle a manwhore, but so help me God my child will not be like that," Rose offered playfully.

"His shift is almost ending, go talk to him, though I would advise you to wait until you're at his place. Who knows if he'll be able to drive after you break the news to him?" the resident offered seriously and Rose nodded, much more confident now than she was thirty minutes ago when she confirmed her suspicions.

"I'm happy you're pregnant too, S. It's going to be much easier doing it with you all along the way," Rose offered a smile to her best friend, who grinned in return, relieved to know her pregnancy didn't bring the pediatrician down.

"Everything will be okay, Ros, don't worry," Serena offered before hugging her best friend.

* * *

Klaus agreed to go home, but not even an hour later he wanted to go back to the hospital. He knew Rebekah wouldn't be waking before late at night if her body had truly had a successful and immediate recovery from the trauma it went through for almost four hours. He was trying to keep himself positive and hopeful, but there was a feeling inside him telling him that maybe Rebekah finally had had too much. And he found himself in the position he had been in all those years ago: staring hopelessly at his phone for any news from the sister he loved and to whom he would do anything.

When the device finally vibrated on his hand, he didn't even check the number, barely registering there were too many numbers on the screen for it to be from the hospital.

"Hello," he said anxiously.

"_Nik?_" the heavy accented voice asked, although the middle-age man knew that voice too well.

"Uncle Nate?" Klaus frowned slightly. He had stayed at his uncle's house when he visited his mother in the summer. He had always been close to Nathaniel Mikaelson, who had tried to reach him in every possible way after what happened to Rebekah.

"_How are you, son?_" the clearly emotional man asked.

"It's not fair, Nate, it's not fair. She's fighting for her life again," Klaus broke down instantly, allowing himself to cry to the one person that had always been there for him during the Rebekah debacle.

Although they were actually third degree cousins, all of the Mikaelson siblings referred to the pediatrician as their uncle. He was, after all, just a few years older than their parents, and was very close to Esther and Mikael's family. Nathaniel had even helped Klaus by giving him his connections in Wales where Klaus eventually went to med-school. The resident had never accepted money from his cousin, and asked Nathaniel not to tell anyone in the family about his whereabouts. He didn't keep in touch much with the doctor, talking with him on very few occasions throughout the years, but it was good to hear from his cousin now.

Nathaniel was a pediatrician, and the one who helped them to quickly diagnose Klaus with a rare – but treatable – immunodeficiency disease when he was five. What seemed like a lucky guess or an ingenious conclusion was actually a desperate _father_ trying doing everything in his power to find out what was wrong with _his_ _son_. Nathaniel found out his grandfather's youngest brother – on his father's side – had the same disease. Mikael couldn't find it in his own research on Esther's side of the family because it was Nathaniel's mother who was related to Esther's.

It was then that Mikael found out his only blue-eyed son wasn't his. When Nathaniel first suggested the diagnosis, Mikael had been reluctant as he didn't have any case on his side of the family. He investigated Esther's side, but he didn't find any case either. As the Mikaelson's were the ones linked to the royal family – and the reason why their children only had their mother's last name – Mikael had access to their medical historic easily. His suspicious about Klaus' paternity grew and being the director in the hospital the small boy was worked in his favor. After collecting samples of their blood and ordering the tests under another patient's name Mikael had found out the horrible truth. His wife had been having an affair, although he had never knew it had lasted for the entirety of their marriage. The scorned husband had threatened his wife's life in every possible way, threatening even to kill Klaus, but she didn't reveal who her lover was. She knew her husband would go after Nathaniel the moment he found out about it and she wouldn't allow it. There was only one person she loved as much as her children and that was him.

Mikael waited until Klaus was released from the hospital, before he informed his wife he knew about her indiscretions. And that was then the beating started. Even Finn who was already fifteen at the time couldn't escape their father's rage. Whatever the children did, their father took it as a chance to beat them. At first he had only spared Henrik, who was a little older than one. Even the twins, being only three had suffered from Mikael's anger, but he soon stopped beating on Rebekah and Kol. Mikael was especially hard on Klaus, knowing it was breaking Esther's heart. Although Mikael was aware none of the children could be blamed for their mother's unfaithfulness, he would hurt them, and thus punish Esther. Soon his hate grew toward his middle son, understanding then why he was Esther's favorite. His wife always went out of her way for Niklaus and even their other children noticed it.

Esther knew Klaus was Nathaniel's the moment he was born. He had his father's eyes and the more he grew up the more he looked like Nate. Her frequent visits to the pediatrician office were all more justified after Klaus was sick, although they had been recurrent even before. Mikael always thought she was hypochondriac or just too neurotic about their children's health, never questioning Nathaniel's closeness to his children. Her cousin didn't have a family of his own – being faithful to Esther his entire life – and that was why everyone in the family thought it was normal for the kids to always be around their 'Uncle' Nate so frequently.

"_I'll be there in morning, for you, Bekah, Eli and your mother. Kol is coming with me, we're about to board the redeye,_" Nathaniel offered with his tender voice that always had a way to calm Klaus down, even when he was only a baby.

"Thank you, Uncle Nate," Klaus offered, although somewhere in his mind he wondered how Kol would react to seeing him for the first time in ten years.

* * *

_AN: These are the pregnancies (sorry Delena fans), as well as a full explanation of what happened to Liz and Caroline when Liz died, and also the revelation of who Klaus' father is in this story. He was supposed to be Esther's cousin, not a second degree cousin, but it seems like people have a huge problem with that, so changed it slightly. I don't, thought I'd never marry any of my cousins._

_Sorry for the delay I hosted my own 80's party this weekend and when I received Erin's email on Saturday I couldn't read it over and post. I hope to have next chapter at the end of the week, as usual. Then we'll go on a mini hiatus of two weeks as I'll be on vacation and it's also my birthday. If I have more chapters written before I leave, I'll send them to Erin and if I find the time to read them over and post during my vacation, I'll post._

_I want to thank all of my reviewers, and my beta, **Erin.** _

_I'm going to post a new story that is neither of the ones you vote. It'll probably be up today or tomorrow. Here is the summary:_

* * *

_Clash of Stars_

_Caroline Forbes had no idea that when she was signed to The Originals miniseries, she'd be working with Niklaus Mikaelson. Boozer, stud extraordinaire, last seen on the arm of Demi Moore before going to rehab. But if he thought he was going to mess up this with his shenanigans then he had another thing coming. Looks can be deceiving, especially the ones of this American Sweetheart._

* * *

_It's Hollywood themed like so many other stories, but believe me it's far different from the ones I read (and I read a few of them). It's witty, sarcastic, humorous and of course with a hint of romance, but I'll try to keep the drama off._

_I hope you guys liked this chapter. _

_xxx_

_Bárbara_


	22. Chapter XXI

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XXI**

* * *

Damon knew something was off with Rose the moment she looked for him when their shifts ended a she had tried to keep their interactions out of the hospital for the past few weeks. He didn't know why she decided to be cautious when the whole hospital already knew about their affair, but he had stopped trying to understand women a long time ago. It was a lost battle and Damon Salvatore didn't enter battles when he knew he couldn't win.

She had been quiet on their way to his apartment. He didn't know why she didn't want to stay at her place. Ever since she had allowed him to have sleepovers at her place he would more than likely always suggest staying there – but she had been adamant on going to his apartment. He insisted they took his car because he didn't want her to cross the island to the Hamptons so late at night. But what he didn't know was that she wasn't entirely comfortable with taking his car knowing he would probably want to be alone after she broke the news to him.

She was fidgety after they entered his bachelor pad, playing with the hem of her dress, leading him to frown. Rose was never fidgety.

"Okay, what's up?" he asked after he poured wine for the both of them. It was never his beverage of choice, but it was her favorite and he made sure to always have the best in his apartment now that she came there so often.

"We need to talk," she looked at him, shaking her head negatively when he offered her the glass of wine.

"Is it about the closet?" he asked, looking away briefly, not bothered that she wasn't going to drink. She never drank when they had serious conversations and it seemed like they were about to have another one.

"The closet?" she asked confused.

"I emptied half the closet this weekend," he asked, knowing then that she hadn't realized that morning that he had emptied half of his closet for her after she had agreed the previous week to keep a change of clothes there for when she slept at his place.

"Oh…" was all she answered. She had been suspicious about her pregnancy the moment she was late, and it had been bugging her for a few days and as a result it made it hard for her to focus on anything, and too easy for her to not notice details. A half emptied closet for example.

"I also made you this," he took the chance to reach for the spare key he had been carrying around in his pants' pocket for a week.

"A key?" she asked surprised when he put the small object in the palm of her hand.

"For the nights I'm on call and you're too tired to go to the Hamptons," he explained, avoiding eye contact.

"Damon…"

"Don't worry, Rose, I'm not asking you to move in with me," he rolled his eyes at her usual reaction to any move he made to try to make her take him seriously. "You keep saying you're going to look for a closer place to live, but you keep making your shifts two hours longer every day. It's drowning you. You've lost weight, you don't have energy for anything, and you're awfully pale lately. If I didn't know any better I would say you're sick," he reached for her outstretched hand and closed it over the key with his own hand.

"You're making this conversation all that much harder," she sighed, closing her eyes and thinking of how wrong things could go from there.

"Are you breaking up with me?" he arched one of his eyebrows. He didn't show any insecurity or vulnerability, but inside the prospect of them being apart broke his heart. He was convinced he was finally cracking the walls she had put around her heart, but it seemed he was wrong.

"I should have done it months ago, but that's not what I want to talk about," she opened her eyes, seeing him empty the glass of wine in his hands, before he reached for the one she rejected and do the same.

"I'm tired, Rose," he admitted once he was done with the second glass.

She didn't say anything and continued to fidget with her dress, feeling even more nervous now than when they arrived.

Seeing as she wasn't going to say anything he continued. "Maybe the best thing is for you to do it. If you don't, I will. There's only so much I can beg you to _really_ be with me. I've reached my limit. I'm in love with you, for the first in my life I'm in love with someone and it's just my luck that karma made me fall for the one woman that couldn't care less about me. I can't keep doing this thing with you anymore. You're all in or you're out. I won't settle for casual sex anymore," he said before walking to his alcohol stash and picking his favorite bourbon. If she wasn't going to drink anything, he wouldn't keep drinking the wine. It would take him a wine cellar to make him numb enough to endure the conversation he was now sure would put an end to their affair.

"We've been more than casual sex for some time now, Damon," she protested, rolling her eyes at his antics.

"Really? Because it seems to me that's all we have. I can't take you to dinner, or for a weekend getaway. We don't even see each other at the hospital anymore. You can't even share the same table with me and Serena in the cafeteria! We used to be friends before, but now we barely talk. You come here, or I go to your place and all we do is have sex and sleep. If you don't want to be my girlfriend, fine, I can't force you, but I prefer being your friend than your stress reliever," his voice raised and Rose widened her eyes. It was a good thing Stefan was on call that night because she didn't want his younger brother to hear their fight. Damon never raised his tone.

"That's not true," she tried to argue, but he didn't allow her to continue.

"Those are the facts, Rose, not even you can change that," he smirked, shaking his head, before walking away to the balcony. He didn't want to fight with her and maybe if he ignored her she would forget he had mentioned breaking things up with her. Yes, he missed his friend; he missed their long conversations about anything and everything. He missed when she was attentive after he had a hard day at work. He missed when she meddled in his relationship with Stefan and the times she stopped him from kicking his younger brother out. But he would miss her much more if they stopped seeing each other. He was positive she would never be his friend like they were before their affair started. He had risked everything when he slept with her, and although he should regret it, he couldn't. Falling for her had been the best thing to ever happen to him and that was why it hurt so much to know their pseudo relationship was about to end.

She watched him walk away, as he usually did, to avoid their arguments into becoming big blow out fights. She thought about his words, as she watched him stare at New York's skyline.

She knew he was right. She had been more distant lately, but only because she was tired – partially because of her newly found pregnancy, partially because of the long hours she had been taking on – but the main reason for her distance wasn't tiredness. Damon had surprised her. Ever since she talked to Caroline about Klaus, she had been evaluating her own relationship with Damon. She was extra cautious at first because she knew the plastic surgeon was bad news. The sex was great, but that was everything Damon had to offer. And looking back then that was all she wanted. She had been honest with him when she said she had been committed for way too long and wanted to just enjoy her freedom. But as the months progressed it changed. _Damon_ changed, or at least her perception of him did. She had never seen this side of him, the caring side that gave her foot massages when they arrived at his place or hers. The one that kept a bottle of her favorite Cabernet in the fridge for when she wanted to drink. The one that just offered the key to his apartment to her. The one who could tell when she was too tired for sex, and who would offer his chest as a pillow instead. She didn't even know if that side existed before her, but it surprised her nonetheless. And if she was honest with herself it did more than surprise her.

"Damon…" she said quietly, as she approached him in the balcony.

"Forget what I said. The key is yours to use as you want. Stefan is here most nights, I wouldn't invite you to move in while my baby brother lives with me," he answered without looking at her, but she could tell by his tone he was hurt.

"Damon, things aren't that easy," she started, but he interrupted her promptly.

"I know okay? I don't want to fight with you. If sex is all you want to have for now, okay, the sex is great, I'm not going to give up on glorious sex because of a damn key," he answered nonchalantly, but she knew better than that. Every time he was defensive he used his womanizer façade, the one that didn't care if she stayed or left.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted and closed her eyes, not knowing what to expect. It was clear she wasn't able to have a conversation about it and prepare the ground for her big revelation.

"You're what?" he turned to look at her, grimacing at the words he just heard.

"I'm pregnant, I ran a blood test today," she said, walking to sit in the chair by his side, their bodies facing each other.

"How is that possible? You said you were taking care of the protection! I trusted you!" he said incredulous by the news.

"You and I both know that no form of contraceptive is one hundred percent effective," she offered, not liking the tone he was using. Was he implying she had gotten pregnant on purpose?

"It's just my luck!" he yelled, before storming inside the apartment. "I must have really fucked up if karma is bringing me a baby! Where in my life does a baby fit?" he said to himself, but still she heard.

"I'm having it, I'm not getting rid of my baby," she said defensively as she followed him inside.

"Of course you are. You're a fucking pediatrician, the last thing the world expects from you is an abortion," he said before refilling his tumbler with bourbon, emptying it again with one gulp.

Rose felt tears filling her eyes, but she wasn't going to cry in front of him. She expected him to freak out, to be silent, to be in denial even, but not to react like this. She had never seen him so angry before.

"That's not the only reason why I won't get rid of it," she offered quietly, before reaching for her purse and heading out of the apartment. It was a good thing she wasn't driving. She barely made it to the elevator, her hand shaking as she pushed the button, her legs like jelly while she waited for it, there was no way she could go through the hour drive.

He registered the pain and vulnerability in her voice before she left, but he found himself rooted to the spot as he digested the information. He was going to be a dad. And he had just scared his baby's mother away. The woman he was in love with. He had just messed up. Big time.

* * *

Klaus couldn't sleep at all that night. All he could think about was Rebekah lying in a hospital bed in coma again. Again… for the second time in her life, his sister could be in a coma.

Ten years ago she had been in coma for two months, and then all of sudden one by one all of her vital organs started to shut down. Elijah was already a doctor back then, about to start his residency, and he had told their family that it was very possibly she wouldn't make it another day. Klaus remembered it as if it was yesterday; how he had gone to the ICU room and pleaded with her to keep fighting. The doctors were doing the best they could, but her brain was still healing from the trauma it had suffered and she didn't seem to have any more strength left in her body to fight for her life. He apologized frantically, holding his baby's sister hand, finding himself praying to a God he wasn't familiar with.

Rebekah had been the only girl in the family and they all treated her like their baby. Even Henrik, who was younger than Rebekah, called her 'baby' when he didn't use her nickname, Bekah. She was the apple of Elijah's eye and he was proud of his sister more than anyone else. Despite being ten years older than her and eight years older than Klaus, the three of them were inseparable, which is why they were at the same party that night. Some friends of Klaus were throwing a pre-college party and although she was only sixteen, Rebekah went with Klaus and Elijah to hang out with them.

The only girl among the Mikaelson siblings was full of life. She was cheery and lightened up everything and everyone around her. She was the light that made them go through Mikael's mistreatments. And that was one of the reasons why it was like Rebekah had died, even after she woke up from the coma. She wasn't that girl anymore, the life in her died, even if her body subsisted.

She was released to go home only a couple of weeks after Henrik had died. It had taken her six months at the hospital before she was finally released to go home and finish her healing process there. But she was not the same. She never was. Not one word had left her lips in the months that Klaus was still around. The light she used to have had been completely put out. Even if she was looking more and more like her beautiful self as each day passed and another wound healed, it seemed like her soul had died. It was in the way her eyes seemed so lost and looked as if to be in a constant trance. Nothing or nobody had been able to reach her. She didn't react to anything. She was a ghost in flesh and bone, breathing, but limiting herself in doing only that.

He couldn't believe she could potentially go through that again.

"Maybe we should get up," Caroline offered by his side, stroking his hand with her thumb.

"Is it morning already?" he asked, the room still dark.

"It's almost six now. I think the anesthesia effect will be off soon and I know you want to be by her side when she opens her eyes," his girlfriend offered, squeezing his hand. Actually the anesthesia should have worn off a few hours ago, but he knew she knew it as well.

"Do you think she's going to wake up?" he asked, his voice hoarse and unsure.

"You once told me Mikaelson's are just too hard to get rid of," she spoke lightly, trying to lighten the mood and prevent herself from asking about their past.

"She's been through so much. It's not fair, Care, it's not fair," he repeated the words that kept hammering in his head. If he was the one in coma for the second time, it would make sense. But Rebekah was too much of an angel to deserve to go through that for a second time, even if this time was much less serious than the first.

"I thought… I thought she was dead…" Caroline said quietly, hoping she wasn't crossing any boundaries or sounding insensitive. "The way you talked about her, you made me believe she wasn't alive anymore."

"Part of her died ten years ago, her soul died and just when she was recovering it, and now she could be unconscious for Lord knows how long," he answered.

"She will wake up, Klaus. She won't be sick," she kissed the side of his head, opting to call him Klaus instead of Nik in respect to his sister and his pain for her at the moment.

"Can we stop by the hotel and get my family? My mother's cousin and my youngest brother are there with them," he asked, sitting up on the bed.

"Of course. There's a coffee shop by the corner of their hotel. I'll grab something for us to have breakfast while you wait for them. How does that work?" she suggested, getting up.

"Perfectly," he offered, heading out to his bedroom to get ready for the day.

"Klaus," she called from her in suite doorway.

"Yes?" he turned to her, and she wondered if what he meant by losing a soul was what she was wondering. The man in front of her now was nothing like the man she woke up to just yesterday. He looked empty and lost. She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around him, in a comforting hug.

"Everything will work out," she assured, and he was thankful that at least this time he had people there for him and he wasn't to blame for Rebekah's condition.

* * *

Klaus called his mother and twenty minutes later he was introducing Caroline to Kol and Nate.

The ride to the hospital had been silent, after Caroline was introduced and breakfast given to each of the Mikaelson's. There was nothing to say and she prayed and hoped Rebekah would wake up at any point during the day. The three men and the woman in the car with her were shells of human beings, their pain evident in their features.

Caroline had paged Stefan, who was the intern responsible for Rebekah that night and as soon as they entered the hospital, the younger Salvatore met them.

"Stefan, this is Kol and Nate Mikaelson. Kol is Klaus' brother and Nate is their uncle," Caroline introduced.

"I wish we could have met in better circumstances," Stefan offered politely. He was about to start reporting on how Rebekah spent the night when Katherine and Elijah joined them.

"Uncle Nate," Elijah addressed the man first, hugging him, accepting it when his cousin held him longer than necessary.

"This is my fiancée, Katherine Pierce," he introduced Katherine.

Elijah greeted his mother and Kol, as well as Katherine did, and decided to move them all to his office.

"She was stable through the night. Her body is reacting well to all medication and there was nothing unexpected," Stefan offered as soon as they entered the heart surgeon office.

"This is good," Nathaniel offered, side hugging Esther who was sitting with him on the couch.

"It really is," Caroline offered, squeezing Klaus' hand.

"Dr. Lockwood will arrive soon, and I'm sure he will provide you more information about her recovery," Stefan offered, and they all nodded, thanking him before he left.

"I have to get ready for the day, but call me when you have any news, okay?" Caroline whispered and Klaus nodded, before she kissed his cheek and waited for Katherine, who was also bidding her fiancé farewell for the moment.

The two residents quickly left, wishing they could be there for their partners, but also understanding that they should give the Mikaelson family some time alone between them. Caroline was especially convinced of that seeing how emotional Klaus' reunion with Nathaniel and Kol had been, his younger brother crying the moment he hugged Klaus.

* * *

At seven sharp, Mason entered the room, saying they could see Rebekah – one at a time –in the ICU room and confirming what Stefan had already said, he assured them she was recovering quite well at the moment.

Elijah entered first, as he had a busy day ahead of him. Then Esther entered with Nathaniel, after he asked Mason to make it an exception, informing him he was also a doctor. Then Kol entered whom ended up taking the longest. He was the most affected by his sister's condition, leaving the ICU room nearly sobbing.

Klaus had asked Caroline to be there for him just for that visit, and as she was with Isobel, the general surgeon released her from the first rounds.

The moment he entered the room and saw his sister's pale face, the tears started to fall.

"Hello, baby sister, it's me, Nik," he offered, holding her hand with his shaking one."I need you to wake up, baby. You can't leave me; you know I wouldn't make it without you. Always and forever, remember?" his voice cracked, as he barely managed to get the words out, before he bent over in grief, his forehead resting on her arm.

Caroline had her hand over her mouth, trying hard to keep her emotions in check. She knew the last thing he needed at the moment was for her to have a meltdown, but it was just so damn hard to see him so heartbroken.

"Just open your eyes, Bekah," he said, his voice muffled.

"She's going to wake up, Klaus, I just know it," Caroline said, moving her hand to rest on his shoulder, trying to give him any comfort. There was nothing she wouldn't do to help her boyfriend at the moment.

"She is the most important thing I have, Care and I failed to her. I may have not caused her to be here today, but I have caused her much worse, and it has somehow brought us here, again. I'm not ready to lose her," he turned to look to his girlfriend, his eyes already puffy and red from his tears.

She hugged him as well as she could while he sat by his sister's bed, and closing her eyes she made a silent prayer. _I know You are there and I know I don't talk to You that much and I'm sorry about that. I don't really know anything about Your mysterious ways so please pick one and just bring Rebekah back to him. He may think he deserves this in some twisted way, but he doesn't and I'm sure she doesn't either as well as none of the people outside,_ she pleaded in her head, while she held the man she loved with all she had.

Klaus still had his head against his sister's arm when Caroline looked to Rebekah's face and realized the angelical young woman start to blink her eyes. Immediately Caroline felt a shiver over her spine and looked up to the ceiling, before mouthing _thank you_. She lowered her head to Klaus's ear and softly said, "Look up because someone might just want to see your beautiful eyes,"

Klaus quickly raised his head and watched Rebekah struggling with her eyes, until they were finally open.

"Rebekah," he offered, tears clouding his vision, but a smile finally appearing on his lips.

"Nik," the girl answered weakly, a small smile also reaching her face.

* * *

"Where is Rose?" Damon asked Serena as he approached his friend at the nurses' station. She could see by his looks that he had barely slept that night and she wondered if it had anything to do with her best friend absence at work.

"I don't know, she called in sick," the resident offered honestly.

"Is she sick?" he asked concerned.

"I guess, Rose never misses work. If she called in sick I'm sure she's really feeling bad," Serena offered, appraising his reaction closely. She only received a text from her friend saying she wasn't feeling well and that she had informed Alaric she wouldn't come to work that day.

Damon barely waited for Serena finish her sentence before he reached for his phone to call the pediatrician.

"She's not answering," he offered a few moments later, hanging up when it reached her voicemail.

"She's probably back in bed, sleeping, why would she be awake at seven in the morning, especially if she's sick?" Serena reasoned, but Damon wasn't having any of that.

"Give me your phone," he demanded.

"Why do you need my phone?" the blond frowned

"Just give me your damn phone, Serena," he said through clenched teeth.

"You watch your tongue with me, Damon. I'm not one of your whores or interns," she said, but handed him her phone nonetheless.

He ignored her words, before handing it back to her to enter her password on the screen.

"She told you, I suppose?" she asked, as she typed, but he didn't answer. "And the reason why you're calling her from my phone is because you already screwed up, isn't it?" she completed, shoving the device in his chest.

He didn't say anything, before calling the familiar number. It took her a while, but Rose finally answered it.

"_S, I'm okay. I just didn't sleep at all last night and morning sickness decided it was a good day to show up,_" a clearly tired and exhausted Rose offered before Damon had a chance to say anything.

"Rose," he simply said, not knowing what else to say.

"_Damon,_" she answered back, her voice weak, showing how vulnerable she was.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone a mix of concern and anger.

"_I just told you how I'm feeling,_" she retorted, recovering quickly from her initial emotional reaction to hearing his voice since she left his apartment the previous night.

"Is that all?" he asked, his tone unchanged.

"_Why would I lie to my best friend, the only person who's supporting me at moment?_" the feisty pediatrician answered, but before Damon had a chance to reply, Serena took the phone from his hand.

"How are you, Ros?" she asked, also concerned about her friend.

"_Dealing with the reality that my baby's father wants nothing to do with the baby and blames me for being pregnant,_" Rose sniffled, and Serena knew just then she must have spent the whole night crying because of Damon.

"It's not your fault, sweetie," she offered tenderly to her friend, while she narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her.

"_Try telling him that... I'm really tired, S, I want to try and get some sleep while I'm not vomiting and hopefully I'll be able to work tomorrow,"_ the woman on the other side of the line offered.

"Ryan and I will stop by after my shift. I'll bring you some ale for the morning sickness, some homemade soup and who knows, maybe a cute gift to my goddaughter," Serena offered with a smile.

"_Thank you, S. I love you,_"

"I love you, too, Ros," Serena offered, about to hang up when her friend's voice interrupted her.

"_Try not to be harsh on him, S. He needs time to adjust. And even if he doesn't adjust, it's his right not to want to have a baby,_" the pediatrician said, and Serena sulked, while she watched Damon looking anxiously at her.

"He doesn't deserve it, but I'll do it for you. Take care, and call me if you feel like you need to go to the hospital," Serena glared deadly at Damon, before bidding her friend goodbye.

The blond didn't wait a second after she hung up before she took Damon by the wrist and entered the first conference room she came across.

"She didn't have any control over what happened. Do you really think she wanted to get pregnant with a womanizer's baby?" she nearly yelled at him, just as she closed the door behind them.

"Serena…" he tried to talk, but she wasn't going to have it.

"Don't 'Serena' me. If you don't want to man up to your responsibility, at least treat her right. She deserves better than crying the whole night over you, you scumbag," she poked her index finger at his chest, her face becoming redder and redder.

"I'm not running from my responsibility, but I'm not exactly father of the year material," he answered equally angry.

"Rose doesn't need you to be father of the year, jerk. She just needs you to be a father to her baby," she offered, much calmer realizing he was insecure about himself, something she had expected since Rose told her she was pregnant.

"I don't know how to do it, okay?" he turned away from her, kicking the side table near him.

"And do you think the rest of the male population is born knowing how to be father? Ryan is just as lost and we've been planning this for almost a year," Serena rolled her eyes, her expression softening at the mention of her husband.

"Are you pregnant too?" he asked shocked.

"Yes, I am, and thank God it happened to be at the same time Rose is as well, because I can see all that little girl will have is her mother and godparents," Serena crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to react, but all he did was crook a smile.

"Is it a girl?"

"Of course it is. Do you think the universe will give you anything less than a girl after you broke so many hearts? You'll have some of your own poison in a couple of decades, Damon. Or who knows, maybe just a little bit over a decade," she smirked, and he looked frightened for a moment, before confusion took over his features.

"Isn't it a little bit too early for her to know the sex? She told me she just found out yesterday," he asked.

"Don't be a moron, _I know_ we're both having girls that will be great friends just like their mothers," Serena offered with a cheeky grin.

"Salvatores don't have girls," he dismissed her guess shaking his head.

"You'll be surprised, I'm never wrong, Salvatore" she answered cockily, winking at her friend. He smiled, but soon it faded from his face.

"It's just… I look at Ryan and it's easy to see him as someone's father. I can see it even in Mase. But when I look at me, all I see is my completely inability to be responsible for someone else, to love someone else. Just ask Stefan how many times he had to move out from my apartment in the past two years," he admitted. He would rather have this conversation with Rose – his friend – rather than Serena. But if he was being truthful it'd been a while since Rose was really his friend and things were definitely strained between them at the moment.

"It's time for you to grow up, Damon," Serena offered in a serious tone.

"What if I don't want to?" he asked, and she could see the fear of failing in his eyes.

"Don't be a spoiled brat. It's not a choice anymore and it's quite overdue if you ask me," she answered lightly, instead of addressing the real problem. She knew how to deal with Damon after so many years.

"I don't want to disappoint her and I know I already did not five minutes into this. It's not going to work; I'll just fail her and the baby more and more," he finally admitted, looking more dejected than she had ever seen him.

"Don't be dramatic," she rolled her eyes. Couldn't the 'great' Damon Salvatore admit for once that he was afraid? Why was it so hard for him?

"It's still true," he shrugged, and she decided to reach for him.

"If you don't want to keep hurting her, make sure you'll join Ryan and I later tonight. We'll be brief and leave the two of you to talk after dinner," she touched his arm, offering him a soft smile.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to her," he looked away, and she knew he was afraid of causing even more damage. She had her doubts if it was a good idea to bring him along, but Damon needed to be pushed. If Rose was going to wait for him to do it on his own accord, he would talk to her after their daughter's first birthday.

"I'm not asking if you're ready or not. I know you care about her, I know you _more _than care about her. And that's why I'm meeting you at your office seven pm sharp," she said before she walked away.

Damon took a deep breath. He had no idea of what he was going to do, but he would try his best not to hurt the one woman he had cared about in his life.

* * *

"Where—where am I?" Rebekah asked looking around and especially looking to Caroline so close to her brother.

"You're in New York; don't you remember you came to visit? It seems like you fell in the bathroom which caused a severe concussion and now you're in the ICU because you had to have surgery," he explained, looking at his sister beaming to see her speaking again.

"Oh Lord, my hair," the young woman moved her hand to her head, trying to see if her hair was still there.

"They didn't have to shave it, except for the little spot close to the nape of your neck," Klaus explained, knowing all too well what she was concerned about.

"You have beautiful hair," Caroline offered softly.

"Her hair and blue eyes are her pride of joy. Just the two of us inherited it from mother," Klaus said, smirking ay his sister

"I feel a little dizzy," Rebekah said, closing her eyes momentarily, before continuing, "But I'm not some idiot girl that worries about her hair after she just had her skull opened," she offered, and Klaus felt his tears intensifying. He couldn't believe his ears. She sounded just as sassy as she was before that night.

"But you do have a beautiful hair, Bekah," Klaus offered, stroking his sister hair softly. It was like he needed to touch her to know she was really there, in front of him, looking more like herself than she had in ten years for all his mother had told him last summer.

"You're partially responsible for that. I know you love my hair and how you never let me cut it like when Jennifer did and everybody followed suit," the blond in the bed rolled her eyes, while Caroline offered a polite smile completely clueless to the events she was describing.

"Jennifer Aniston, Friends," Rebekah said, before continuing, her voice still hoarse, "When she cut her hair everybody did the same, but Klaus wouldn't let me. He has this strange obsession with my hair. I think he might be a psycho or something," she giggled, and Klaus nearly exploded. It had been more than ten years since he had heard that sound.

"Oh, now I know why he almost has an altar for my hair at home and is begging me to let it grow out," Caroline giggled as well, realizing how this was the happiest she had ever seen her boyfriend, a total contrast of how he had been just ten minutes ago.

"Excuse me, but I'm not the guy who controls his sister and girlfriend haircuts. I just make a few comments and suggestions here and there. Besides, you both have flawless hair," he shrugged, seeing that if the two of them ganged up against him he didn't stand a chance. He barely did when they were on their own, let alone if they were to team up against him.

"Did you just say girlfriend?" Rebekah asked surprised.

"Sorry, baby girl. This is Caroline Forbes, my girlfriend. Care, this is Rebekah Mikaelson, my baby sister," he offered with a broad grin.

"Come on, Nik, I'm 24! You can't call me a baby anymore!" Rebekah protested, while Caroline suppressed a laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Rebekah," Caroline offered.

"Well, Caroline. I may not be in perfect health at the moment, but you better watch your back. If you break my brother's heart, I'll torture you until you plead for death," the Mikaelson girl offered menacingly before she put on her best angelic face, "It's a pleasure to meet you though, anyone that broke through Nik's narcissist walls, is a friend of mine," she smiled, and Caroline tried to smile back, not knowing if she should feel flattered or threatened.

"I think we should spread the good news. Mother, Lijah, Kol and even Uncle Nate are outside," Klaus said kissing his sister's forehead.

"I'm going to get Mason. If you're feeling good, he'll probably run some tests and move you to a room so you can see your entire family at once." Caroline offered before she kissed his cheek, and left the ICU.

Rebekah offered her best smile to Caroline, before she turned to Klaus with a knowing look, but before she could ask him everything she was crazy to know, he was starting his own quiz.

"So, what happened to you? It's quite the mystery as to how you've been able to fall and have two concussions," he asked, and the little color that had come back to his sister's face immediately disappeared.

Klaus noticed immediately the change in his sister's features, and he wondered what happened.

"Bekah?" he asked, but the same null and lost gaze that used to be present was back in her face, his heart dropped, the air barely reaching his lungs.

"Please, Rebekah, talk to me, what are you feeling? What happened?" he asked desperately, not knowing if something was happening now or if she was remembering what happened the previous day.

"I had a nightmare…" she offered robotically.

"A nightmare?" he asked confused and she only nodded."What nightmare, baby?" he asked in his best soft voice, trying to cover his real feelings at the moment.

"_Of him_, he's been haunting me, Nik, he said he was going to finish what he started," she said, and Klaus felt like the world had fallen on his head.

* * *

_AN: I'm still not over Kol dying. Next chapter will be heavy on Kolaus. I just can't. He was so amazing I hope he's going to be resurrected._

_Here is the new chapter with a little light to what happened to Rebekah and the Mikaelsons. There's more info to come, surely. Be my guests to what you think happened. I've provided enough information._

_I'm going to whiny even though I'm not a whinny person. My reviewers abandoned me. I'd love for you to come back and for new ones to come from the shadows. For those of you who don't like to be answered, add a DNR (do not reply) at the end of your message and I won't bug you back._

_Also next week I'm going to travel. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and I want to spend it with my family who lives away and I haven't seen in 14 months. So I'm not sure I'll update next week (probably, but maybe I won't.) But on my birthday's week I'll update for sure._

_Thanks to my special beta, **Erin.** _

_Have a great weekend._


	23. Chapter XXII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XXII**

* * *

For a moment Klaus didn't know what to say. His sister was finally speaking again, after being silent for ten years. It meant she could now identify the bastard who almost killed her that night. But before he could ask her anything, Mason entered the ICU room and started to test her motor, verbal and visual responses. Klaus watched, but he couldn't seem to pay attention to her reactions to Mason's tests. His head was lost in a sea of questions.

_She can speak again. Does she remember him? Can she describe him? Could she know his name? I need her to tell me who he is. I need to find him. I need to kill him._ Klaus thought over and over again, not realizing Mason had been calling his name for a few moments.

"Klaus," the surgeon called out louder bringing Klaus back from his murderous thoughts

"Uhh… yes, Dr. Lockwood," said Klaus trying to focus on the doctor in front of him

"I'm not sure if you heard, but Rebekah has told me she entered the bathroom running, slipped on something, fell and hit her head, most likely on the toilet. I want her to rest a little bit more and monitor her vitals, especially her respiration. If within a few hours she's feeling well, she'll be transferred to a room. I think the surgery was successful and as the concussion was mild and the bleeding, despite being significant, is totally controlled. I'll ask for new scans to confirm it. But as far as can tell, she's completely fine," Mason said, before he began writing notes down on her chart.

"Thank you, Dr. Lockwood," he said, realizing then that Rebekah was falling asleep again, her eyes fluttering close.

"I'll talk to your family, do you want to come?" Mason asked, walking towards the room's door.

"Sure," Klaus said, but instead of following the neurosurgeon, he looked back at his sister, now fully asleep again, and leaning closer, he kissed her forehead.

* * *

As Klaus stepped outside the ICU, he realized Mason was talking to one of the older residents, probably about another patient he had in the ward. If Mason was with Rebekah so quickly, he wondered if Caroline really didn't have the time to talk to his family, especially because he said he would.

He went straight to Elijah's office, where he knew they would be. They could wait in the waiting room… but his brother's office guaranteed them more privacy.

The moment he entered three heads turned to him.

"She woke up," he offered with a smile.

Esther was the first to jump from the couch, followed closely by Kol. Nathaniel watched as his lover and sons hugged.

"She's talkative too. She talked to me and Caroline. She was even joking around." the resident offered with a small smile, before it dropped with his next words. "Although, for just a moment it seemed like it was the Bekah that died that day."

"It may have taken a long while son, but I always knew she would be our little baby again," Esther offered, as she wiped away her happy tears. She had never lost hope of Rebekah fully recovering. It was a miracle in itself that her only daughter had all her physical capabilities intact after her body had endured so much pain and damage. They weren't sure about her mental capabilities, but every test she had done for the past ten years showed her brain function was in order. But still Rebekah didn't speak a work for ten years. The girl, despite being awake and aware of her surroundings, looked like a patient in a vegetative state. There was little to no emotion in her dull eyes at all times. She didn't react except physically to any test they did, at the hospital or at home.

The Mikaelsons looked for the best psychiatric doctor in the country, but there was little he could do if Rebekah didn't say a word. He went through what they thought had happened on that night, but she didn't show any reaction. He repeated Klaus', Elijah's, Tatia's and other people reports of the facts that night, but nothing seemed to bring Rebekah out of her blank state. Dr. Sanders informed Esther there was nothing he could do after he worked with Rebekah for three months on almost a daily basis. The biggest reaction he had ever gotten from the blond girl was her looking briefly at him at the mention of her blond brother. And even that reaction was limited to rare occasion.

"When can we see her?" Kol asked anxiously.

"Dr. Lockwood is going to do a few more head scans, and a few other tests and observations within the next few hours. If everything is okay, she'll be transferred to a normal room in the afternoon," Klaus informed them, and Nathaniel finally stood from his position to hug his son, who was now free of his mother and brother's grips.

"It's time we are a family again," he whispered as he hugged Klaus.

Esther cleared her throat behind the pair, leading them to break apart.

"Niklaus, I talked to Kol, Elijah and Nathaniel and I'd like us to have dinner tonight as we now know Rebekah will likely be well," his mother informed him, leading Klaus to frown slightly, before agreeing. The situation with Rebekah had changed – at least temporarily – his feelings about reconnecting with his family didn't. But he was emotionally spent and he would probably agree with anything his mother proposed at the moment. His thoughts were with his sister and the small piece of information she released. He didn't want to tell them what Rebekah had shared with the rest of his family, but he wondered if maybe talking to Elijah would help him figure out the best way to approach their sister.

"Did she tell you what happened?" Nathaniel asked after a few moments silence. Klaus was about to answer when someone knocked at the door. Being closest to the door, Klaus turned around to open it revealing his girlfriend looking quite anxious.

"So how is Rebekah? What did Mason say?" she asked, wanting to have the official confirmation, but hoping for the best.

"She seems to have recovered fully, but he's getting scans and running a few other tests to confirm. She may be transferred to a room today and released in a few days if everything is indeed fine," Klaus explained, and watched as Caroline sighed relieved.

"I'm so happy for you Nik," she hugged him, thanking God and all the angels for that. Seeing Klaus so heartbroken like that for a few hours had been worse than being heartbroken after everything Mason had done to her. She wanted to erase his broken face from her mind and never see it again.

"As are we, sweetheart," he broke their embrace. He wasn't absolutely comfortable about showing so much affection around his family, although he was positive he had been quite affectionate earlier while he was still worrying about Rebekah's condition.

Both Esther and Nathaniel watched with small smiles on their face, while Kol looked quite uncomfortable.

Although there was nothing the youngest Mikaelson wanted more than to have his big brother close to them again, he wasn't sure how to behave now that Nik was finally around. Although he never blamed Klaus for what happened to Rebekah or Henrik, their relationship was slightly strained before the tragedies hit the Mikaelsons household.

The two found themselves in feuds constantly and many times Kol had yelled at Klaus he couldn't stand him and that he was a selfish bastard and that he didn't want to be their brother. Kol never understood that by keeping some distance at most times, Klaus was trying to spare his siblings from their father's violent actions. Klaus made sure to keep Kol and Henrik at arm's length to maybe fool Mikael into believing he didn't care about his youngest brothers. He didn't have to pretend about Finn, who was already living in Scotland and Elijah was away most time, finishing med-school. There was never a reason for him to pretend to be cold towards Rebekah as Mikael had never laid a hand on her since she was three. For some reason, their sick father decided to spare at least his only daughter from his.

Henrik ignored Klaus' actions, knowing his brother better than Kol did. The youngest Mikaelson knew it was all a façade, and even tried to convince Kol of such, but the male twin was convinced Klaus really didn't care about them. Not when he did everything in his power to enrage Mikael even more. Not when he ignored them as if they didn't exist. Not when he never let them in, and only had words of hate to offer them.

And now here he was, seeing his estranged brother being kind to a girl, the closest he had ever seen Klaus be with someone who wasn't family. And the graduate craved for that affection. Klaus had always been his hero while they were growing up. The brother Kol looked up to. The guy he wanted to be someday. He felt like there was a special brotherhood between Klaus and Elijah and it extended to his own twin sister, but he always felt left out by Klaus, no matter how much he wanted his brother to notice him. And then Klaus had changed even more and had become distant from everyone but Rebekah, and a couple of years later he simply abandoned his family when they needed him the most. When _he_ needed his brother the most. But despite all the deception and rejection, Kol never stopped loving Klaus and hoped that now that they were grown men maybe they could finally be real brothers again.

"I have to go now. Isobel let me skip the early rounds, but I have to scrub in and I'm also scheduled for night shift. Which is good, I'll keep an eye on Rebekah for you."Caroline offered and he nodded. She greeted the rest of the people in the room, saying she hoped they could all see Rebekah before the end of the afternoon.

"Thank you, love" he said before she left, prompting his mother to talk directly to her for the first time since they met the day before. They had talked on the phone, and they had a few exchanges while waiting for news on Rebekah, but nothing direct towards the younger blond.

"I also want to thank you, Caroline, for everything. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here with Klaus. You've been attentive and supportive to all of us since we arrived, and I really appreciate your kindness," Esther said, leading the resident to blush slightly.

"I wish we had met in happier circumstances, Mrs. Mikaelson, and you don't have to thank me for anything. I really didn't do much,"

"You kept my son sane, Caroline, and that's more than anyone else I know could have done." the middle-aged woman offered honestly.

Caroline tugged some hair behind her ear, not knowing how to answer the blatant compliments. But before she could think of something, Esther was speaking again.

"And you can call me Esther, darling."

"Thank you, Esther," Caroline said with a small smile, before turning to Klaus again.

"I forgot to mention I may not make it to lunch because of my surgery, but I'll come see Rebekah in the afternoon," she said quietly, and waving to the rest of the people in the room she turned to leave for the second time, but it was Klaus who stopped her this time, holding her softly by the arm. Leaning close to her ear he whispered, "She's right, love, you're the one who kept me sane. Thank you for everything, I love you."

"I love you, too," she muttered shyly, and looking at the rest of the occupants of the room one more time, she finally left.

"Don't you think I didn't listen to that because I did," Nathaniel teased his son, who looked clearly embarrassed, but didn't say anything.

"Who knew one day Niklaus Alexander Mikaelson would fall in love and settle down," Kol smirked, although he was happy for his brother.

"Shut up, Kol," Klaus answered while the other three Mikaelsons chuckled.

The now happy family was once again interrupted when Bonnie knocked the open door.

"Mrs. Mikaelson, Dr. Lockwood needs your authorization on some procedures and also some paperwork pending from yesterday, I could bring it here for you or you could accompany me to the neurosurgery department,"

"I'll go with you," Esther offered with a small smile.

"I'll join you, dear, in case you have any doubts or questions," Nathaniel offered promptly, and Esther nodded, before she turned back to the couch to retrieve her purse.

"You certainly do have some tasting looking coworkers, Nik," Kol offered as he watched Bonnie's retreating figure.

"Bonnie is a force to be reckoned with, brother, you don't want to go there," Klaus smirked, knowing his fellow resident who had probably heard them both as she was only a few feet away waiting for Esther and Nathaniel.

"Why don't you learn from your brother, Kol?" Esther said as she passed them.

"And lose my wild, careless, countless one night stands? Sorry mother, but I'm much too fantastic to leave the girls back home unattended," he smirked, openly eyeing Bonnie, leading the resident to look down.

"Spare us the details, Kol," Nathaniel teased, although Esther was stoically looking at how flirtatious her son was.

"You don't say those things around your mother," she reproached him, but he only shrugged.

"What? You know how I am. I've never hidden how I've spent the past few years making sure I knew the local cuisine of every country in Europe. My favorites are still French and Swede if you're wondering. They've never heard of words such as prude," he offered, his eyes looking out into the distance as he reminisced.

"Enough, Dr. Bennett we're ready to go with you," Esther informed the resident who now looked amused by the youngest Mikaelson sibling musings.

"It seems like venturing west isn't such a bad idea… especially if America looks so tempting already," getting the last word in Kol gave Bonnie a wink, who only blushed at his words and actions.

* * *

Klaus unconsciously found himself going back to the ICU room. Maybe Rebekah would be awake again, and if his sister was really coming back to who she was before the accident, then he knew for sure she would be bored lying in a hospital room all by herself.

"Dr. Lockwood," he saluted, as he entered the room, seeing the neurosurgeon there again, but his sister was nowhere to be found.

"They took her to take the scans," Mason informed him as he continued taking notes on Rebekah's chart.

"Any news?"

"Her vitals are strong and so are her reflexes. We're just going to check out all the other possibilities with the scan and a few blood tests. But I think I could release her to a room once the scans are ready and if everything else is okay. I'll be keeping her another day though, regardless of the results, for observation." the attending explained.

"Very well," Klaus answered about to leave.

"Has she ever had brain surgery before, Klaus?" Mason said

"Yes, why do you ask?" his heart almost reaching his mouth.

"I saw the scars on her head," Mason offered, and Klaus breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rebekah had… a serious accident when she was sixteen. She has had more than one operation and she's yet to have a normal life," Klaus explained quietly. He didn't know if Mason could do something else for his sister, or if he was suspicious about something. He would tell Mason the things he couldn't tell anyone else if he knew Mason could somehow help his sister more.

"And what are her current limitations?"

"Psychological mainly. Up until a couple of weeks ago she hadn't said a word in ten years and eight months. Although she doesn't have physical limitations, she barely finished high school at home a few years later. She never went to college. She hasn't engaged in any physical activity or sports, and she normally doesn't leave her bedroom. That being said, she also doesn't eat much, and has taken supplemental vitamins ever since she has been released from the hospital back in 2002," Klaus reported hoarsely, his heart cracking all over again as he rehashed the details.

"So I suppose the accident left her with post-traumatic stress disorder?" the neurosurgeon asked, curious.

"That's the theory the doctors back in London had," Klaus nodded his head positively.

"And she's just started talking all of sudden?" Mason continued to ask while he quickly wrote everything Klaus reported in Rebekah's chart.

"Some of things you said don't match with PTSD. I'll ask for detailed scans from her prefrontal cortex and I'll also run a few other tests," Mason suggested, and Klaus nodded, trying to see what the doctor was writing.

"Do you have any suspicions?" the resident asked.

"More like theories that I'd rather confirm first before explaining," Mason offered without looking at the other doctor.

"Do you think from now on she could lead a normal life?" Klaus asked, his heart filled with hope for the first time in ten years. But also shadowed with the fear about the answer.

"If we can control the PTSD through therapy and medication and if her brain hasn't been compromised by her past accident then I think the prospects are favorable," Mason offered a small smile to Klaus, who was relieved until he realized there was an 'if' in the neurosurgeon's prediction.

"What if it has been compromised?"

"There are some new drugs, as well as surgical procedures, although as you may expect, we don't know how to fix a lot of things in the brain. But hopefully that won't be the case for Rebekah." he explained, finishing the notes on her chart.

Klaus didn't say anything, and just nodded curtly, his mind wondering to the many possibilities ahead of them, but somehow his thoughts brought him back to Mason who was leaving the room saying he was going to ask for more scans.

"She mentioned the man… that caused her accident. Mother says she doesn't leave the house except to go to the hospital. She doesn't visit relatives or engages in any social events. Do you think maybe she met him and it triggered something?" Klaus voiced one of his theories.

"It could be, though that's not my expertise. I can run some tests and scan her brain to see if there's something physically preventing her from doing her normal day-to-day activities. I do know some of the best psychiatrics in the city and I could recommend you a few. Something definitely triggered her brain to speak again if she started speaking again all of sudden and didn't go through the process of slowing recovering the ability to talk." Mason said, taking the small notebook from his lab coat pocket. He checked his cell phone before handing a piece of paper to Klaus with three names and three phone numbers.

"Those are the best in the city in my opinion. Their schedule is nearly impossible, but the first two are close friends of mine from Sinai. If you want I could give any of them a call and ask them to work around their schedule and see her," Mason offered, and Klaus looked at the paper then at the man standing in front of him.

He was surprised at how nice Mason was being to him. If anything the neurosurgeon should be ignoring him after their previous feuds and Klaus' current relationship with Caroline.

"I really can't thank you enough, Dr. Lockwood,"

"Mason. You can call me Mason, Klaus," he offered, but it wasn't warm or welcoming. It was based on some sort of respect the older man seemed to have acquired about the younger doctor.

"It's just, you don't have any reason to be so attentive to Rebekah or me, and you're going out of your way to call in a favor for me and my sister," Klaus offered, his tone slightly suspicious, reflecting some of the thoughts in his head.

"She's my patient and I always try to do my best for my patients. You're also important to Caroline, and she's important to me. Not only that, but you seem to make her happy. We had an agreement yesterday and I'm not trying to gain any points with her. That being said, this conversation could and should stay between just the two of us." Mason offered with determination.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound distrustful, Dr. Lockwood,"

"All of her friends have every reason to dislike me, Klaus. I was a jerk to her, but I'm not a bad man,"

"So she says," Klaus said, making it clear he didn't agree with Caroline.

"I'm happy she can look past my mistakes," Mason offered with an honest smile, dismissing the clear accusation in Klaus' words.

"And I'm thankful you look past our differences," Klaus offered honestly. He knew Mason was still bitter about his relationship with Caroline, but Klaus was relieved the neurosurgeon didn't allow it to influence his professionalism.

"We don't have differences, Klaus. I lost my girl, you were there for her, she fell for you and you're together. You've never done anything against me," Mason's voice was soft, and devoid of any of the bitterness Klaus noticed the previous day.

"It's not personal, I trust no one and I always expect the worst from people, and you _did_ hurt her, but I really am thankful for the special care you're showing my sister," Klaus sounded almost apologetic about his previous words.

"I know how to lose with some grace Klaus, and in the battle for Caroline's heart, I lost. Though I still care about her, I don't think I'll ever stop. I'll always do everything in my power to do something for her, but you have my word that I won't pursue your girlfriend or try to use anything to my benefit with her, especially not a patient's condition,"

"Thank you, Mason," the resident offered honestly, seeing Mason in a new way, respecting him as a physician and starting to see him past the pain he caused to his girlfriend.

"You're welcome, Klaus," the attending doctor offered before he left, deciding to wait for his intern to page him when they had the scans.

* * *

Klaus also left, knowing that it would take a while until Rebekah was back to the room. He was just passing by his brother's office when he saw Kol inside.

He knew the youngest Mikaelson well, and was sure that despite the façade he kept after he learned Rebekah woke up, Kol was struggling. The resident remembered Elijah's words just a few days ago about how much Kol looked up to him, although he had never suspected it. Given their problems in the past, Klaus always expected Kol to be the last one to ever consider forgiving him. And although he still thought he didn't deserve his family forgiveness, he would try his best to give Rebekah the family she deserved.

"Brother," the doctor offered as he stood in the doorway.

"Has she been released yet? I'm waiting for mother and Uncle Nate to come back," Kol said the last part almost defensively. This was the first time he had been alone with Klaus in many years. Not even when they lived under the same roof had it happened often.

"They're still running the tests and scanning her head," Klaus said without entering Elijah's office.

"What did she say? When she talked to you?" Kol asked trying to keep their conversation focused on their sister.

"She joked about her hair, threatened Caroline in case she hurt me. For a moment she was like the old-Rebekah," there was a trace of sadness and hope in his voice.

"You mean a bitch?" Kol joked, and both brothers shared a soft laugh.

"Something like that," Klaus agreed.

There was a moment of silence after their laughter died out and it made the air thick between the siblings.

"So how are you enjoying New York? Is this your first time in the states or did you study here as well?" Kol asked, and Klaus noticed how his youngest brother looked hurt by not knowing anything about him for the past ten years.

"I went to med school in Wales and came here for my residency. I've been living here for almost two years. It's not that bad," Klaus answered uncomfortably, still standing in the doorway.

Kol nodded and waited for his brother to ask about what he'd been doing for the past decade, but another silence started and it only made the dark-haired man feel more rejected by the brother he missed so much.

Klaus watched Kol as he just sat there, doing nothing, as if he expected him to do or say something. After a couple of minutes, the younger Mikaelson reached for his phone and offering a tight and small smile to Klaus, and began to play some sort of game.

"Mother told me you went to law school," Klaus offered, finally entering the office. Closing the door behind him, he took a seat in one of the chairs.

"Did she?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, I visited last summer," Klaus offered knowing his brother didn't know about his visit.

"When exactly?"

"Late July,"

"But I was in London then," the younger brother frowned remembering he was at home for most of July. He only traveled in August.

"Yes, I left the week before you went to Germany," Klaus offered, and he didn't miss how for a second, Kol looked hurt.

"Nobody parties better than the Germans," Kol covered his feelings with a fake smirk.

"I have to agree," Klaus smiled, but he was honest. He had fond memories of Germany, especially the German girls. Some of his wildest vacation had been there too even if he had little to no money.

Another moment passed and they found themselves quiet again. Klaus didn't have a clue of how Kol felt, but he had to try and apologize to his brother, except he didn't know how to do it.

"Any plans after your finish?" Klaus offered a couple of minutes later.

"I'm thinking about coming to the US as well. I finish this spring," Kol watched Klaus' reaction closely, not knowing what to expect.

"New York has great law offices," the blond offered.

"New York sounds like a good place for the two mandatory practice years," the younger brother said almost shyly.

"I'm sure Eli may have some contacts. He's been here for nine years, I'm sure he had a chance to operate on someone important while he worked with Dr. Liz Forbes,"

"Yeah… but I was thinking about doing it all by myself, you know? Both of you did it without anyone's help. And somehow I've managed to have good grades."

"Yes, well you've always been a fast learner, and smarter than the average Kol. It's no surprise your grades are good."

The law graduate hadn't been expecting a compliment. Klaus rarely complimented anything he did and for a moment he didn't know what to say except for 'thank you'.

"But I could definitely use your phone book if you have half of these girls in it," Kol said smartly after a moment's hesitation, nodding his head towards the door.

"You have the accent. They do seem to love it here," Klaus offered teasingly and Kol actually smiled. It's been too long since his older brother had been playful around him.

"Had your way with the female staff, I see," he smirked and Klaus only shrugged.

"Had, being past tense. I'm serious now about Caroline, but let's just say I spent last year getting acquainted with the Americans," Klaus chuckled, Kol following suit.

"Maybe Bekah could come as well. She could go to college and mother could finally enjoy her life. She's still young and healthy, she shouldn't spend so much time inside," Kol offered, not realizing how uncomfortable Klaus suddenly became. He knew Esther could do a lot of things, but didn't because she had to take care of Rebekah.

"We don't know if Rebekah is ready to go college," Klaus showed some reluctance about his sister being in such an intense social environment so soon. They didn't know for sure why she spent over a decade without saying a word and why she refused to leave the house unless she had a doctor appointment. He didn't want to push her and risk losing the progress she made recently.

"The doctor seemed optimistic and so did Eli. Before mother and she traveled here, Bekah said maybe she would open a gallery for your paintings," Kol continued still oblivious to his brother's reactions. It'd been a while since they interacted and it made sense he didn't know Klaus as he did in the past.

"Did she say that?" Klaus asked, tearing up, touched by Rebekah's reaction.

"Yes, I suppose she still loves photography. She could take some courses instead of going to college, remember how talented she was?" Kol asked also looking emotionally affected. He had lost hope a long time ago that his sister would ever lead to a normal life again. Having this conversation alone – with Klaus nonetheless – was enough to make him hopeful and happier than he'd been in a long while, even if Rebekah couldn't or wouldn't want to study. The playboy façade helped the first couple of years – his last years high school and first years at Oxford he had been wild, but later it turned into a was to forget the pain, a refuge, an escape. But now his family could finally be complete again. Mikael was dead and his two lost siblings were making their ways back into their lives.

"She takes after mother," Klaus offered with a small and content smile. His mother was a brilliant artist. Esther not only painted, but also worked with sculptures and sketched.

"Both of you did, the only artists in the family,"

"I'm a doctor, Kol." Klaus corrected his brother.

"No, Nik. You're an artist, who decided to pursue a career in medicine," Kol offered and it hit more closely to home than Klaus had liked. Deciding to study medicine when he was still sixteen had been his last attempt to gain Mikael's recognition or at least his approval. He had long lost hope on ever having his step-father's affection, but if only Mikael would acknowledge anything good Klaus ever had done he would consider himself happy. Of course, it didn't change Mikael's opinion who only stressed how he didn't have it in him to be a good doctor like Elijah – who had after all chosen the career after _his_ father. _'Your father must be as useless as you if the best thing you could get was your mother's worthless artistic side,'_ Mikael said when Klaus received the acceptance letter for Cambridge, just a few weeks before Rebekah's accident.

"I like being a doctor. I had the best grade in the intern's exam last year. I feel comfortable being a doctor." Klaus defended his position. After years of doing it for Mikael he didn't lose the habit and found himself doing the same in the couple of days he had visited with his mother. It seemed like he still had to prove himself, even if the only person who ever questioned him wasn't alive anymore.

"Have you decided on a specialty already?"

"Plastics,"

"See? That's your artsy vein speaking. Plastics is the closest to art you can get with medicine," Kol smirked.

"Maybe," Klaus chuckled lightly.

There was another silence again between them, but this time the atmosphere was much lighter. It felt odd to bond with Kol. When they were younger they were closer and they used to play together. But when he was about fourteen and the twins twelve, Klaus realized Mikael was starting to lash out harder on Kol and thought Mikael was doing it to spite Klaus, and as such he decided to distance himself from Kol.

"I've missed this," Kol offered quietly.

Klaus turned to look at his brother, but he didn't say anything.

"When you left, nobody knew where you went. You dropped out of Cambridge and we thought you wouldn't study anymore. I asked mother to pay a private investigator to find you. I knew you didn't like having me around, but I missed you. I missed when we were younger and we did everything together. When we fought for Henrik's affections and competed to see who would teach him the coolest things. And it wasn't fair because you were older and you could do things I couldn't, you knew things I didn't," Kol smiled sadly, and Klaus felt his heart clench for his brother, believing Elijah's words to be true for the first time.

"He was starting to become harsher on you. I thought it was because we spent too much together, because you were my best friend when Elijah left for med-school. You've always been smaller, thinner, and I was worried it would take a toll on you. I had to distance myself otherwise he would have killed you. I didn't want you to endure everything I did when I was your age," Klaus confessed, finally gathering the strength to open up. Caroline and Elijah had changed him more than they knew and he was finally willing to show his emotions without thinking love was a weakness. He was accepting that showing vulnerability and feelings didn't give arsenal for others to hurt him.

"It wasn't your fault," was all Kol could say without crying again. He shared his brother's problem with showing emotions and he had already showed a lot of them earlier while they waited for Rebekah to wake up and after she did wake.

"It doesn't mean he didn't punish me for being a bastard. I couldn't let him do that to you as well," Klaus answered, also showing a lot of emotion in his face, on verge of tears himself.

"The beatings didn't hurt as much as losing my older brother," Kol said looking away.

"I'm sorry if I made the wrong decision. I don't feel like I did and maybe I could have handled things better, but that was the best plan I could come up with at twelve," Klaus offered dejectedly.

"I kept asking why you started being so mean to me. I thought you hated me and I started being hateful towards you because it hurt me," the first tear finally fell from the youngest brother's eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Kol. I could never hate you. You're my brother. Always and forever," Klaus said quietly.

"I wasn't part of your always and forever club. It's always been Bekah and Eli," Kol answered almost bitterly.

"Always and forever was just a girly thing. It was Rebekah's doing and she was mad when you kept teasing her about it being stupid," Klaus chuckled remembering all the spats the three of them used to have until Klaus distanced himself.

"I felt like _I_ was the bastard, the one that wasn't part of the family. You had Rebekah and Elijah and Henrik went to you for everything he needed. Nobody cared about me,"

"And I'm partially responsible for that and I'm sorry if I failed to show that I've always loved you, Kol," Klaus reached for his brother's shoulder, but the moment Kol felt the physical contact, he jumped from the couch and nearly knocked Klaus down from the chair he was sitting on, hugging his brother for the first time in almost thirteen years.

"If you tell any of the lasses that I cried, I'll show Caroline your childhood pictures and drawings," Kol offered once they broke apart.

"You wouldn't," Klaus said seriously, seeing the mischief written all over his brother's face.

"You know me, brother. I'm the pest in the family,"

"I'm starting to regret those words," Klaus offered playfully.

"Too late. I've always known you loved me. I'm the favorite child after all," he offered smugly, before walking out of the office.

* * *

Klaus had talked to Rebekah briefly before she was released to go to the bedroom. She had asked Stefan to bring her brother before her family was with her because she wanted to ask him something. The intern found the resident waiting along with his family in Elijah's office and, speaking to him privately, he informed Klaus of Rebekah's wish.

Of course, Klaus didn't waste any time before going to his sister who had asked him to forget she mentioned anything about the accident. She said she wasn't ready to talk about it and that she didn't want him to say a word about it with anyone else. Not even Elijah. Klaus couldn't say no to his sister and even if he wanted to break his promise and talk to Elijah for advice, he couldn't. He had never lied to Rebekah and he wouldn't start now.

The Mikaelson's stayed the afternoon with Rebekah who was still tired and didn't talk much, but begged them to stay and keep talking. She even cried seeing Kol and Klaus making jokes and when Elijah met them later her family finally felt complete while they did a video conference with Finn through Kol's phone. The oldest Mikaelson sibling had been working on his schedule and Sage's to go to New York, and was relieved to see his sister talking and well. The only problem was that Sage was bordering the sixth month in her pregnancy and they could find problems with the company authorizing her trip, especially because she was pregnant with twins.

Despite the terrible pain the family went through in the past day, they were closer than they had ever been, and Esther and Nate seemed especially touched and emotional.

"I have to take the redeye tonight. I missed a couple of presentations today and I have a very important tomorrow afternoon. I wish I could wait for Finn, but they're very important and the teacher is a pain," Kol offered after Finn confirmed they were going to arrive in a couple of days, on Saturday.

"I talked to the vice-chancellor, I explained Rebekah's situation, and they'll make an exception. Your partners will present the project and later you'll have to present to the teacher individually just not the entire project, but the parts you thought were more challenging, and difficult. Mr. Lancaster will ask your teacher to send you an email explaining what you need to do in more detail and when,"

"It seems like Dr. Lockwood will release your sister on Saturday morning. Rebekah and I planned to come here to visit her brothers so we'll stay longer, but I'd really like to have a family dinner on Saturday,"

"I'll come back with you, and probably Finn and Sage on Monday," Nathaniel offered, and Kol nodded.

"How long do you want to stay, baby?" Esther turned to Rebekah, but before she could answer Klaus spoke.

"You're not coming back,"

"What are you talking about Klaus?" asked his mother confused.

"You and Rebekah will move to New York. I talked to Mason and I think it'll be good for her to stay and do a new treatment," he offered dead serious.

"Whoa, this is my life, Nik, I barely got it back," Rebekah retorted fiercely.

"She's right, Niklaus, you can't decide this for us," Esther offered, but Klaus ignored.

"It's best for her. I understand if you don't want to come, but Rebekah should stay," he turned to his mother, his face stoic and hard.

"Do I get to have a say in this?" the blond young woman protested.

"Kol is planning to move here next summer as well. He wants to work in the US and New York seems to be to his liking," Klaus's features became softer as he turned to Rebekah again, reaching for her hand.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Nik, that's just a plan. Nothing is set on stone yet," Kol offered behind his brother, but Klaus didn't pay attention.

"You could take courses on photography or even try the major at Columbia or NYU. It's no Cambridge or Oxford, but both are good schools," he offered his sister a smile, and he could see her resolve cracking in her eyes.

"Niklaus, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Elijah suggested cautiously.

"What about opening a gallery? You love art, you don't need a major for that, and you have the pedigree for it. Mother could even work with you," he suggested, and for a quick moment there was a different glow in her eyes, but it soon was replaced by fear, and she looked away.

"Klaus, slow down. Things are not that simple." Esther intervened, while Nathaniel watched quietly. Although he did have an opinion about it – he agreed with his son – it wasn't his place to say anything.

"It's what's best for her. She can't go back to London." Klaus nearly yelled, turning to his mother, rage in his eyes.

"Nik, it all seems great, but I don't know. Things are… complicated," Rebekah offered weakly.

"You're safe here, baby. I won't let anything happen to you this time. I promise." he said with a soft tone, and just like that, the room went quiet. Nobody dared to say a word, and locking eyes with his sister's Rebekah finally understood why Klaus was adamant about all of it. He was right;_ he_ wouldn't come to New York, especially if she asked her family to keep their whereabouts secretive.

Seeing that nobody had the guts to actually disagree when he put things like that, he continued. "We'll look for a place for you to live and in the mean time I will speak with Caroline. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you staying with us until we find a place."

"Do you actually live with her?" Kol asked shocked. He knew Klaus and Caroline took them to the hotel in the morning, but he thought it was because Klaus wasn't in the best frame of mind to drive.

"Not in the way you're thinking. We're roommates. I've been living with her since the summer, but we got together last month," Klaus explained, happy that his family had stopped putting obstacles in his path.

"I'll come," Rebekah's voice was almost inaudible, but still everyone heard.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Klaus said bringing Rebekah into an affectionate hug, while she nodded against his chest.

"We can't live with you and your girlfriend, Niklaus," his mother reasoned.

"It's only temporary and we're _not_ living like _that_," he said through clenched teeth.

"You don't need to be ashamed of your relationship with Caroline, son," Nathaniel spoke for the first time since the debacle started.

"I'm not. If anything Caroline is the best thing in my life," he smiled, not afraid of voicing his feelings. Not that it would make much of a difference. He knew for sure his family could see how special Caroline was to him even if he were to deny it.

"I like her," the pediatrician completed.

"She is wonderful, Uncle Nate, you'll love her like she's your own," he said with a grin on his face.

"Do you really love her?" his mother asked curiously, while Elijah had a knowing smile on his face that Klaus didn't miss.

"I do," he answered firmly.

"I'm happy for you, son. Happy you found a woman to love, and who seems to care about you just as much," Esther offered a warm smile to her son.

"I'm not moving across the world to be second best, Nik. If I move here I have to be your number one. So unless you put a ring on it, I come first," Rebekah pointed her index finger at him, pouting all the while, leading Kol to laugh and Klaus and Elijah to repress their chuckles.

"How do you know that?" Kol asked through his laugh.

"I could hear just fine, dear brother. What do you think I spend the whole day doing in addition to watching TV? And Kanye was totally right. Beyoncé was robbed that award, that's the coolest music video ever," Rebekah offered and everyone laughed, including Elijah. A warm feeling filling each and every one of the Mikaelsons reunited in the hospital room.

* * *

_AN.: And I'm back! Had a great holiday and expect weekly updates again. It's been so long since they killed Kol, but I hope you guys still felt the moment I reserved for them._

_Klaroline is going to take the backseat for a while because I'm more focused on Klaus and his family. Next chapter is heavily focused on Damon and some of his connections. But 1/3 of it will make up for the first part, Klaroline fans stay tuned, bc it'll be 1/3 of beautiful KC :)_

_I'd like to thank all my reviewers and readers, and my lovely beta, **Erin**. You guys are great._

_So how about you let me know if you enjoyed it?_


	24. Chapter XXIII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**XXIII**

* * *

Seeing as he didn't have any other choice, unless he wanted to see Serena make the rest of his surgeries a living hell, he agreed to go with her and Ryan to Rose's place.

But that wasn't the only reason he went, actually, it wasn't even the main reason. Serena could be a bitch when she wanted to, but he was still her boss and he wouldn't have much trouble putting her in her place, and so he agreed to go because he knew had to do the right thing with Rose. The way he treated her the day before couldn't have been worse, and he knew she didn't deserve it.

Thinking back he cringed; remember his line about her being responsible for the pregnancy. She was on pill and he knew protection was something she was serious about it. It simply failed and he had no reason to have said it in the first place. He shouldn't have said it at all. But the moment he heard those two words he lost it. How could someone be pregnant with _his_child? How could _he_ make someone pregnant with his child? Damon Salvatore wasn't father material. Actually, he thought, he wasn't any kind of material, least of all to be any sort of kind meant for a relationship. But the pediatrician had proved him wrong in the few months they were 'together'.

He had really started caring about her and feeling things he wasn't used to. Things he had never felt before. The more time he spent with Rose the less he could understand why Mason had left the hazel-eyed doctor in the first place. She was amazing. Sensitive; but not whiny or dramatic. Smart; but humble about it. Sensible; without looking judgmental or and sweet; without being stupid or idiotic. She didn't push, she didn't pull, and she didn't play games. She was honest and kept her word in all situations. Rose was just an incredible doctor and an amazing lover. There was nothing she wasn't willing to try between four walls. She was sexy as hell, but still she looked like an angel when she was sleeping or focused on something. He couldn't stop these feelings, even if he wanted. And he tried, but still he failed.

It took him months to actually accept that she was different and that he wanted more than just sex with her. But he finally admitted it to himself and he was willing to take the necessary baby steps into the right direction. But that was the only baby related thing he was ready for. Baby _steps_. But now he was going to be a father. There was a living thing growing inside the woman he was in love with and he was the father of that thing. The idea was bizarre and surreal for him and he had trouble wrapping his mind around it. It just didn't make sense, it didn't seem had disaster written all over it. But there was nothing he could do to change it. And thinking about the inevitability of his predicament, he winced once more, remembering the other words he said to Rose.

How could he say such cruel and hurtful words to her? How could he even mention the word abortion, even if he wasn't implying she should have one? He was a jerk, a grade-A jackass, and someone that didn't know how to deal with the simplest of the emotions. But none of this changed the hard facts that he was going to be a father in a little over seven months.

Damon racked his brain for an idea; he wanted to do something nice for Rose to make up for his terrible first reaction, but what? He didn't know the first thing about pregnant women. He remembered Serena commenting on soup, ale and something else, and he wondered hopelessly if there was something to do with those that he could do for Rose at the moment. He knew nothing would erase his previous words buthe couldn't take them could only hope for her forgiveness. Actually, he also hoped it wouldn't take much time. He _wanted_ to be there for her, within in the time frame of _now_, but he just didn't know how to without making things worse.

It actually _hurt him_ to have hurt her like that. Damon was furious with himself for his actions, but he just couldn't imagine how to fix it. He didn't know where to start and it made him feel powerless. And that made him hate himself even more. Failure was not an option, and yet he had succeeded at just that famously. What added salt to the wound was proving his father right and that little voice in his head kept repeating the words he had heard for so many years. He was a disappointment. A boy, not a man. A waste of space worth nothing. Impulsive and stupid, incapable of honoring his name. And now he was going to be a father, and only one day in he had already proved his father right. He behaved like a stupid, insensitive, impulsive, worthless boy when Rose needed him to be a man and stand by her side.

But he couldn't just sit at his desk and do nothing, he had to at least try to do the right thing and feeling even worse about himself he called the one person that he thought could help him.

"Did you page me?" the doctor asked from the office's doorway.

"Yes," Damon simply asked.

"What happened?" concern filled the green eyes fixed on Damon.

"Close the door, please," Damon's serious tone only made him more concerned. "Rose is pregnant," he said avoiding the judging gaze he knew he would find. For a moment no other words were said between the two doctors. There was nothing to say and Damon wished he had been sensible enough to at least be speechless the previous night.

"I didn't ask you to come just to get it out off my chest or just for you to know. I need help, so start talking," Damon demanded annoyed.

"I don't know what to say. Is there anything to say?"

"How am I supposed to do this?" Damon asked as he buried his head on his hands. "She told me yesterday and I blew it. I actually questioned her, throwing it in her face that she was the one who was supposed to avoid this. I yelled at her and I behaved like an idiot," he completed feeling his blood boiling in his veins. Every time he thought about the words he said to her made him want to punch himself.

"You're a moron,"

"Tell me something I don't know," Damon sighed, releasing his head from his hands.

"You have to apologize, and man up,"the other man offered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Which, to be fair, it was. But Damon knew it wasn't enough.

"I know that, but… I still need to do something. I just don't know what,"

"What do you want me to say? I don't know how you're going to fix this,"

"It's not only about fixing what I already messed up… how could I be someone's father? I can't even be a brother to a twenty-seven year old man, how could I be a father to a newborn?" desperation rang clear in his tone and eyes.

"I think you're going to do just fine," the warmth in the responding words did nothing to calm the plastic surgeon's nerves.

"Are you out of your mind?" Damon asked shocked.

"You did a great job with me," Stefan offered.

"I paid for your school, Stefan, but that was it," his brother retorted.

"No, you were there for me in so many ways. You're the reason why I'm here today and even if I don't like plastics when I look at you I see the doctor I want to become. I was an addict and you were there for me, you risked your own reputation here last year when I missed so many days of work because I couldn't get myself together. You made sure everyone who called me the Ripper regretted their words even if I did made mistakes in the OR,"

"You just cut too deep a couple of times, Stef, the Ripper nickname was uncalled for. Everyone makes mistakes in their residency first year,"

"Still, you took me under your roof, and helped me face my addiction to alcohol instead of running away from it. The only thing dear old dad ever taught me was the way to a drink a glass of bourbon, but you taught me that nothing was stronger than me, than my will,"

"By making you drunk instead of keeping you sober and leading you to fail your intern's exam?" Damon smirked sarcastically. Stefan shook his head good naturedly before turning serious eyes back on to his brother.

"It doesn't matter, Damon. You made me overcome my fears, my limitations, my failures and now it's my time for me to be there for you," Stefan reached out and grasped his brother's shoulder.

"So start talking baby bro, because I can't see a way out of my failure,"

"You just created a life with the woman you're in love with, I wouldn't exactly call that a failure, Damon, I would call it amazing," the younger doctor offered a warm smile, and for a moment Damon allowed himself to pretend it was a good thing.

"I'm going to be a father," Damon said in awe a few moments later.

"Exactly. There's a baby Salvatore on its way," Stefan encouraged.

"Remember when you taught me how to ride my bike without training wheels?" the intern offered, chuckling slightly.

"I remember father wanted to disown me because you fell way too many times and one of them you actually hit your head," Damon followed suit.

"You told me if I didn't finish that day, riding the bike all by myself, you wouldn't be Damon Salvatore,"

"You did, didn't you?"

"Probably because God was merciful towards me and didn't think it was time for me to greet Saint Peter," he shook his head. He still had some of scars on his right leg from that day.

"At least it was better than trying to teach you soccer," Damon smirked.

"I enjoy football more,"

"You embarrass your Italian heritage,"

"You really did teach me so many things before mom died. You did great with me, Damon, I'm sure you'll be great with your kid too,"

"I wasn't responsible for you; I was just the cool older brother,"

"There's nothing wrong with being a cool dad. I admit it's a scary thought, but you've done it before, Damon. And I'm here to say you did a great job,"

"I failed you when she died," the plastic surgeon admitted looking away. Damon knew some of the problems Stefan had were caused because he wasn't close enough to him after Giuseppe lost it.

"You lost her; too, you did the best you could,"

"What if the best I can do as a father isn't enough?"

"_He_ was wrong, Damon. He's always been wrong, and it was his loss that he couldn't see who you really are," Stefan reassured, and Damon looked up to his brother finally, with hopeful eyes.

"How do I start making it up to Rose? You're the cheesy, broody brother. I just know how to charm the women. Apologizing was never my forte," Damon asked, with a small smirk.

"You just… apologize. You admit you overreacted, you open your heart. You know Rose is special,"

"You used to have a crush on her. I impregnated my best friend's wife and my brother's crush,"

"My crush on Rose had been pretty much platonic. She was the most beautiful woman I've seen as I grew up. But Mason may have a reason to be hurt by all this. You should talk to him."

Damon thought about it, and he knew Stefan was right. He wanted Mason to hear it from him. He knew the former married couple didn't talk that much lately, and although they were divorced Damon felt like he still owned it to Mason to let him know in person. The sooner, the better.

"Maybe pampering her would be a nice idea, but Serena is already all over that,"

"Flowers, Damon. No woman can ever resist a big bouquet of flowers. Do you know Rose's favorite?"

"Yes,"

"So my work here is done,"

"Thanks, Stef," Damon offered before getting up to give his brother a side hug.

"You're welcome, big bro," Stefan hugged him back, before he walked away and left Damon to his thoughts.

* * *

"You're going to be released Saturday morning," Stefan said as he entered Rebekah's empty room. Her family had just left to have dinner and Stefan was about to leave, his shift was set to end in a couple of minutes.

"Yeah, Nik said that was going to happen,"

"Where are they?" he asked, looking around the empty room. The Mikaelsons seemed to be a tight bunch. Every time he came to check in on Rebekah they were all there, with the exception of Elijah, who was working. It was as if they didn't leave the room for a moment, and it surprised him to find the room empty.

"Having dinner. Hopefully they'll bring me some. This hospital's food is terrible," she grimaced, remembering her lunch.

"Is there any hospital where food is good?" he chuckled lightly, and she smiled back.

"I guess not, and I've had my fair share of them,"

"Do you study medicine too?"

"No, I've been a patient. One too many times," she offered sadly.

"I'm sorry," Stefan offered warmly. It was the first interaction she had with someone else that wasn't her family since she had started talking again. All the talks she had had were with Mason about her condition. At least they were talking about her life now, not the many complications she had in it, although the subjected was tied together.

"It's okay. I'm happy to finally get over it," she smiled, and he could see how brave the young woman was. He didn't have a clue of what happened, but he could see how much of a fighter she had been in the OR.

"Do you mind if I ask?" Stefan asked softly. Since he had scrubbed in on her surgery the day before, and the few interactions he had with her, he felt like there was something about Rebekah Mikaelson. The more he saw of her, the more he felt he wasn't wrong.

"I had an accident when I was sixteen… and while I recovered physically, there was some sort of block that wouldn't allow me to recover emotionally. I haven't spoken a word in over ten years. I couldn't bring myself to interact with the outside world. I became a frightened _puppy_, pathetic I know. But then Nik came to visit last summer, and I felt like maybe I could overcome my fears. I tried my best, and one day, when mother was talking to Uncle Nate about Elijah and Nik becoming brothers again something inside me changed. I know I'm one of the reasons why my brothers have hated each other, and to know that they were on good terms again helped me a lot," Rebekah confessed, having no reservation talking about her life to an almost stranger. Although they didn't know it, Rebekah felt the same way draw to Stefan as he felt to her. Rebekah just knew she could trust the boy with the warm eyes, and sweet smile.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you," he offered, not expecting her confession. Even though the blond didn't give him any details about the accident he could see in her eyes that she went through something terrible. "And don't ever call yourself pathetic again. What I've witnessed in the past couple of days is anything but pathetic. You fought for your life yesterday and you fought against something that was bigger than you and you overcame it. You should be proud of yourself,"

"Thank you, Dr. Salvatore," Rebekah answered shyly, looking away slightly.

"Right now I'm not your doctor, you can call me Stefan," he offered one of the sweet smiles that assured her she could trust him.

"I'm Rebekah then,"

"I'm going to Matt… it's a grill across the street. Ask Dr. Green to page me and I'll know they didn't bring you dinner. Matt has the best burgers you'll ever eat,"

"You Americans and your passion for burgers," she rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face showed her gratitude.

"We can't help it,"

"Well, if there's some salad and a real steak, it'd be lovely, Stefan. I didn't ask them before they left where they went so I don't know if they'll come back,"

"Sure thing. Have a good night, Rebekah," he said before walking away.

* * *

"Ryan is outside waiting for me," Serena offered as she entered Damon's office.

"You two can go ahead, I have some things I need to look at before I leave,"

"I am not leaving without you," she crossed her arms over her chest and began tapping her feet on the floor.

"Serena, I'm busy, I can't leave right now. So unless you go downstairs and tell Ryan to wait thirty minutes, we won't be going together," Damon offered as he printed the receipt to the flowers he had just bought online. He had had a busy day and couldn't do it earlier. Rose loved… roses. It was funny that was favorite flowers were the same as her name, but he knew that much about her. She loved white, yellow and blood-red roses and he chose the first. He didn't think red roses would be a nice gift for maternity news, and maybe the white would convince her he was there in peace and to have peace with her.

When he came back to his office only thirty minutes ago, the flower's company assured him they could still deliver the flowers, but it would take an hour.

"Okay, I'm going, but I'm leaving my car here, and we'll stop by the hospital to take it on our way home. If I leave her place and you haven't shown up, I'm going to sweep this city until I find you and drag you there to fix what you broke, got it?" she asked, and he rolled his eyes.

"I _will_ be there, but it'll be because I want to make things right with Rose, not because of your empty threats. We both know you are too lazy for that,"

"You have no idea what pregnancy hormones do to you, Damon," she smirked, knowing that he was right, but also because she felt like someone else entirely since she became pregnant.

"Don't worry; I have first row tickets to that experience,"

"Are you feeling any better about it?" she asked softly. He was her friend too, and she wanted to help him as well, but she knew she had to be hard on him otherwise he wouldn't fix his situation with Rose any time soon.

"Not exactly, but it doesn't give me the right to make her feel bad about it as well,"

"It's crazy to see you being someone's father, but I believe in you, Damon,"

"Do you know if your brother is still around? I wanted to be the one to tell him," Damon asked, effectively changing the subject.

"Yeah, I stopped by to say bye to him for the day, he was going to check on Klaus' sister and head home. If you want to catch him you better hurry,"

"I'll see in an hour and a half, S. Don't tell her I'm going. If something happens and for some reason I can't do it, she'll be disappointed and I've already had my fair share of disappointing her in the last twenty-four hours,"

"Sure. Drive safe," she said, before kissing him on the cheek.

He followed her outside his office and went straight to the nurse station to figure out where Mason was. He also paged his best friend while he tried to figure out where to find him.

Ten minutes later the plastic surgeon was entering the neurosurgeon's office.

"I don't have all night, Damon, so whatever you need, just spill," Mason offered, and Damon could see how tired he was. There were bags under his eyes, and they looked lifeless, not a hint of the usual mischief and life the light haired man usually carried in his irises.

"Rose is pregnant, it's mine," Damon blurted out, not knowing how to beat around the bush about something like this. For a moment Mason didn't react, but after a few seconds, he sat in his chair without saying a word, too lost in his own thoughts and emotions to respond.

"Mase?" Damon asked, not knowing what to do. He had expected a lot of things, but silence and dullness weren't one of them.

"Where did I go wrong, Damon? Where did I start to stray from the great life I had with my wife to come to this?" Mason asked, his eyes even more tired and hopeless than when Damon entered the room.

"What do you mean?"

"It could have been me delivering paternity news. It should have been me. Rose and I talked about kids after Caroline when we tried to fix our marriage. It was something both of us wanted, but we decided to wait because we were still walking on thin ice with our relationship. Not even a year later and she's pregnant with my manwhore best friend's baby, we're divorced and the woman I love is happily in a relationship with a man that couldn't be in a relationship with his own siblings and mother for the past ten years. Where did I go wrong? When did I become the villain to my life's movie?" the man asked, and his eyes glowing with unshed tears.

"You're not the villain,"

"Yes, I am. I broke Rose's heart, I broke Caroline's heart, I lost my best friend, my sister worries about me twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I destroyed everyone's lives around me, that makes me the villain," he buried his head in his hands, propping his elbows up on his desk.

"And as you just said, all of them moved on. Caroline is happy with Klaus, Serena is finishing her residency and happy with Ryan, and I'm sure she has great news to share with your family. Rose and I aren't in a relationship, and that's a shame, and even though I'm the worst man ever to become someone's father, she's happy. We moved on from the losses and pain, you'll do the same Mase. You made bad decisions, all of us did. You hurt people, but people hurt you as well. You just need to start over, to find someone new, and start a few life, maybe even a family," Damon suggested, and Mason looked at him as if those words were his salvation.

"Maybe I don't deserve to move on, or to have good things come my way like the rest of you,"

"If I somehow ended up with someone like Rose and a baby, I'm sure you can find happiness. I've broken too many hearts, I'm a bastard, a jerk, but still something good came to me, even if I don't know what to do with it,"

"You'll learn. You did a great job with Stefan, I'm sure you'll do an even better job with your baby. Also, Rose is amazing. She's probably the best mother anyone could ask for,"

"I'm sorry for impregnating your ex-wife," the plastic surgeon offered dejectedly, feeling terrible about himself all over again. He felt as if he was rubbing salt in his friend's open wounds, but he knew he owed Mason an apology. It was the least he could do to make their situation at least a little bit more decent.

"Just make her happy, Damon. I've broken her once, don't repeat my mistakes,"

"Do you still love her?" Damon asked and Mason took his time to answer.

"No. I care a lot about her, she's always going to be someone special to me and I'll always love her in a way, but I'm not in love with her and I don't love her like that anymore. It started fading much earlier, before Caroline came into the picture actually, but when she did all the remaining feelings for Rose went right out the window."

"Don't give hope up, Mase. You're not the bad guy. You're not the villain. It's just a phase and it'll pass, and then you'll feel better. You'll be happy because you deserve it, because you're an honorable man that until one year ago I thought would never make a mistake in his life," Damon said with finality, patting his friend's shoulder, and walked away leaving a pensive Mason behind.

* * *

"How was dinner with your family?" Caroline asked when Klaus entered her room later that night.

"Surprisingly good," he offered, kissing her cheek, before starting to strip.

"They seem nice," she offered as she watched him. He looked exhausted and even if the day had ended on a positive note, with only good news, she could see the situation with Rebekah had taken its toll on his body. Which was the reason why she had prepared his bath a few minutes ago, when he texted her asking if she wanted him to bring any food home from the restaurant before they left.

"It hasn't always been like that," he answered cryptically.

"I just ran a bath for us. What do you say?"

"Bubbles and all?" he asked, chuckling, knowing she had an obsession with bubbly baths.

"Of course! Besides, you need to relax. This week has been rough to say the least," she reached for his broad and bare shoulders, massaging them.

"I would have to agree,"

"So let's go," she kissed him chastely before extending her hand for him to follow her.

"Just sit and relax, I'll clean you,"

"You're spoiling me, love," he whispered, stepping into the filled bathtub, and doing as she said.

Caroline sat behind him and taking the sponge, she started to scrub his back softly as they talked about his family.

"Kol seems like your 2.0 version," she offered chuckling.

"He's what you could call a manwhore,"

"I can't see him as lawyer. I can't take him seriously enough,"

"Don't let him fool you, Kol is incredibly smart and it seems like he's finally going to take his future seriously. He wants to move here during the summer,"

"New York?"

"Yes, he said he wanted to come to the US and I suggested the city. It's a great place to work, and there are a lot of good opportunities here,"

"He'll like it here,"

They were silent for a while as she finished her work with his body.

"Close your eyes," she said taking the shampoo bottle.

He obeyed and as she scrubbed his skull ever so gently. A small moan escaped his lips. He hadn't realized how much he needed the rest, and he was extremely grateful for his girlfriend's thoughtfulness.

"Why don't we do this more often?" he asked a couple of minutes later, her hands still running through his hair.

"Because we are always in a rush or too horny," she laughed.

"And who said I'm not horny right now?" he asked, while she stood up to turn the shower on to rinse his hair.

He allowed her to rinse the shampoo out and the moment she turned it off again, he turned around facing her while she sat again.

"I do know you're always… ready to go," she offered, shuddering slightly as she saw the lust in his eyes.

"That's just your effect on me, love,"

"It's completely mutual," she let her eyes explore his face, his luscious lips and his tempting chest.

Klaus found her foot underwater and started to touch it seductively with the tip of his fingers, going slowly – and torturously – up. Caroline closed her eyes, finding the edge of the tub, soft moans now leaving her lips.

"Are you ready for me, love?" he asked moments later when his hands were already on her inner thigh.

"Yes," Caroline barely muttered, feeling as if her body was on fire, and not surrounded by water.

"So am I," he said moving his hands to her waist, and raising her enough to bring her to sit on him. Her shaking hands found his hard member and after a small struggle she finally led him inside her.

"Niiiiiiiiiik," she moaned deeply.

Klaus hissed feeling her walls seemingly tighter than usual.

Caroline felt like jelly at the sensation of having him finally inside of her, and consequently let Klaus do all the work – feeling almost fully recovered from his injury – guiding her hips down and up according to his own body's ministrations, while his mouth explored her neck and breasts.

"Touch yourself, love, touch yourself for me," he asked between openmouthed kisses on her wet skin.

"Where?" she asked feeling her stomach clench at his bold request.

"Everywhere, anywhere, start with your perfect breasts and work your way down. You know where I want you to finish your little journey," he whispered against her ear, his mouth quickly finding the spot he knew drove her crazy, just behind it.

Caroline did as he asked and took her sweet time caressing her breasts with both her hands. The moment one of her hands started to move south Klaus reached for her nipple with his mouth and she screamed at the electricity she felt running through her entire body.

"Yes, love, cry out for me," he whispered, moving to the other breast as she dropped her hand the moment his teeth bit her nipple.

He decreased the pace of his thrusts, but Caroline felt like her body couldn't take the frustration. With a little maneuvering she lowered her upper body back, until she could balance herself with her arms behind her, she started to thrust herself on him harder.

Klaus used one of his hands to support her back, afraid she would lose her balance while his other replaced her own. He touched her breasts and stomach, nearly roughly, barely holding back the arousal her quick and hard movements were inspiring in him.

"I won't last much longer if you keep this up, love," he confessed, feeling his climax approaching fast.

Her only response were groaning what seemed like his name, arousing him even further.

"Touch me," she asked, feeling like she would need a little more incentive to come before him.

"Where, sweetheart?" he asked, hissing when he felt her rotating her hips slightly, nearly making him come with the movement.

"My clit, make me scream your name, make me cum all over your shaft," she demanded, her crude words exciting both of them even more.

"Here? Do you want me to rub you here?" he said as his thumb pressed strongly against her bundle of nerves.

"Yes," she moaned.

"Like this?" he said between heavy breaths, but there was no intelligible response this time. Soon her movements became frenetic and no longer could she control her body, her hands let go of the bottom of the tub. She would have fallen backwards if his hand hadn't of kept her in place.

"I'm cumming, I'm cumming," she shrieked, while Klaus did his best to keep pleasuring her.

"Yes, yes," she said as her climax crashed over her.

He was so very close as well, but he managed to wait her to come from her high, moving them slowly until she was resting against the headrest in the tub, her body angled down, the contact between their bottoms never broking.

Her bathtub seemed designed for sex; this was the only coherent thought in his head while he pumped against her more forcefully now that she was leaning against tub wall.

"Oh God," Caroline exclaimed feeling his member opening her in a way it hadn't before. He was moving wildly against her, the bubbles and oils she put on the water making his slip in and out much easier.

"Caroline," he moaned and a few thrusts later he reached his climax, while she felt her own pleasure reaching new levels.

Their ragged breathing lasted for long minutes before they both found the strength to break apart. He took the 'seat' by her side, leaning against the headrest, and then bringing her to rest against his body.

"From now on we'll have at least weekly dates in your tub, love," he whispered, with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Yes, because I'm not sure I'll be able to manage to sit if you decide to make it more often than that,"

"Did I hurt you?" he asked concerned.

"Of course not, but let's just say I've been properly fucked," she chuckled, and he refrained from hissing again.

"Speak like that again, and you really won't be able to sit tomorrow, love," he said feeling his member twitching at her words.

"You won't see me complaining," she offered, as she rested contently against his chest, happy to be in his arms again after such difficult days.

* * *

Klaus and Caroline finished their bath, using the shower to finish up; they went straight to her bed feeling both satisfied and exhausted. And it wasn't even nine pm.

"When is your oldest brother arriving?" Caroline asked, as they laid on her bed.

"Probably Saturday, he's trying to find a flight tomorrow afternoon, the first company he tried refused to accept his wife, as Sage is twenty-four weeks pregnant with twins,"

"Oh, you're going to be an uncle!" Caroline said excitedly. She had always wanted siblings, and when it became clear she wouldn't have them she had realized how much she had yearned for her own that would never come to be..

"Yes," Klaus offered with smile she hadn't seen yet. It was a mix of pride, happiness but also discomfort.

"How is your relationship with your brother?" she asked sensing something was bothering him, even if only slightly.

"Good, when I left he was already living in Scotland."

Caroline still didn't have a clue about why he left in the first place and what happened to Rebekah back then. But she knew he felt responsible for it, and she was doing her best not to ask him directly what happened. She knew he would tell her if he felt comfortable enough, but she was just dying to know. She knew it was an important piece of information, probably something that changed him into the man he was now. She wondered if he had been much different as a teenager and if he would be someone else if whatever happened to Rebekah hadn't happened. Even not knowing the story she knew chances are it damaged him forever. The nightmares and their outcome convinced her of as much.

"Do you know his wife?"

"No, I've never had a chance to meet Sage. They were already dating when I left, but it was early in their relationship and he had yet to bring her home,"

She nodded against his chest and they stayed quiet for some minutes, both lost in their thoughts about his family.

"Are you happy?" she asked breaking the comfortable silence.

"What sort of question is that?" he smirked, but also dodging the question. He knew Caroline was keen and smart, and he could see her pensive face knowing her mind was going a hundred miles per hour.

"Are you happy to be reunited with your family again?" she asked more objectively.

Klaus didn't answer immediately, taking his time to think over what had happened in the past couple of days and his visit to England last summer.

He thought about the conversations he had had with Elijah, his latest conversation with Kol and how positively – maybe even happy – Finn reacted over hearing from Klaus and the prospect of meeting his younger brother again after so many years. He also thought about how content both his mother and Nathaniel seemed at their dinner, a smile rarely leaving their faces.

"Yes, I am," he confessed with a little smile of his own, matching the ones of his parents earlier that night.

"Me too,"

"It's a relief to know you and Elena are okay,"

"I didn't mean my family. I'm happy for _you,_" she clarified, and he shifted on the bed to have a better view of her face.

"For me?"

"Yes, I'm happy Rebekah is here and that she is well, I'm happy not only Elijah, but your other brothers seem to have welcomed you with arms wide open, but I'm especially glad that you seem content, happy even as you said just, to be near them again. I know it wasn't easy for you and Elijah at first, but look how far you've come, and now with Kol and Finn it seems easier, and I feel like Saturday you'll be a part of the whole Mikaelson family again, and you'll _feel _like part of them again. That makes me happy," her soft voice and her kind words touched his heart in a way he learned only Caroline and Rebekah were capable of doing.

"I wouldn't have done it without you, I couldn't have,"

"I didn't play any part in it,"

"Of course you did. You encouraged me countless times to talk to Elijah, you made sure to have him around in as many occasions as possible. You never pushed me directly, but you were always there, with an encouraging smile, squeezing my hand, comforting me, supporting me. You've never made me answer difficult questions and even though I know I owe you a lot of answers, more than you can imagine. If we weren't together and you had not helped with Elijah all those months ago, I wouldn't have been so open to the rest of my family now. I would probably be consumed by guilt for what happened to Bekah, and I'm sure I would have convinced myself that none of them wanted anything to do with me based on my past actions," his arms around her got tighter, and she could feel his vulnerability coming in waves.

"The only thing you needed was someone to show you that you're loved, that people make mistakes, but forgiveness can erase them all. I love you and I'm sure your family loves you even more. I know Elijah and Rebekah do, and I have no doubt they all have missed you a lot," she reached for his face, straddling him and pecking his lips softly.

"I love you, too," was the only response he could voice at the moment. He was positive Caroline would never understand how she healed some of his internal wounds. Scars and marks she wasn't even aware he had. She couldn't imagine the wonders her presence did for him, even before they started dating. Her love, compassion, dedication to her friends and more recently to him as a boyfriend, had reached his heart. And she had no idea how right she was when she said she showed him he was loved. She not only showed him that, but she proved that someone could still love him. She proved he was still loveable. She saved him when he thought he was beyond saving. When he thought he wasn't worth saving, let alone loving. And for that he was always going to be thankful to her.

* * *

_AN.: Call the next this chapter and the next the calm before the storm. I'm ending DaRose arc next chapter and as you saw, I'm starting a Stebekah arc :P - I love them - so we'll read a little bit from them in the new chapters from now on. I also ended Mason's arc here and I don't know exactly who I'll pair him in the future as this story has probably still another 10 chapters to go. Whoever I decided - I'm accepting suggestions, and I suppose it has to be a new character - it'll be quick._

_And KC sex because in my world that's the only sex Klaus can have - here or in the show :P. _

_Next: Damon and Rose talk; Elijah and Katherine talk, Stefan and Rebekah talk, Klaus and Caroline talk. One pair does more than talk. Be my guest to say who and what._

_A huge thanks to all my readers and especially those of you who review. This update has been delayed because Erin had a work trip, but next week will be okay, I think. Huge thanks to my lovely beta. **Erin** really is awesome to me._

_Talk to you soon._

_Bárbara_


	25. Chapter XXIV

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**XXIV**

* * *

Damon arrived at Rose's house just past nine that night, and he _knew _that Serena would be pissed at him – if she was still there. It seemed like one of the neighbors was throwing a party, but he was positive one of the silver SUVs was Ryan's.

Deciding that there were way too many cars parked on the street and he parked his car in Rose's driveway. She could take his car if she needed to leave for any reason. He stepped out of his Camaro and walked to the front door, holding the bouquet of white roses. He could hear laughter and talking coming from inside and he felt some relief knowing that at least Rose was having a good time now. He knocked on the door and a moment later Rose was there, opening it.

"Hi," he managed to say, although even that was hard to come out at the moment.

"Damon?" she asked completely surprised.

"Can I come in?" he asked. For a moment he thought she would say no, as she let the moment drag on without responding. With a sigh she stepped aside so he could enter the house.

"I bought those for you," he said, giving her the rose's. "Both of you," he clarified, and for a moment she was just as pale as the white flowers in her hands.

"There's a card, but I'd prefer if you opened it later or when it's only the two of us," he kept his voice low, and she nodded, walking towards the living room where Serena and Ryan were talking.

"Ryan, S," Damon greeted.

"Damon, long time, no see, man," Ryan stood up from his seat to side hug his wife's close friend.

"I hear congratulations are in order," the surgeon offered nearly dejectedly.

"Yes," he turned to his wife offering a happy and content smile and nod, before looking back at Damon, looking awestruck and in ecstasy.

Rose moved to sit by Serena, feeling even more uncomfortable. Ryan's reaction was the complete opposite to Damon's, but she was happy for her best friend.

"How are you feeling?" Damon asked Rose as a second thought. For a moment he was so lost and ashamed by his actions that he forgot she had missed work.

"The nights seem to be okay, and S brought me an anti-sickness kit that I'm hoping will work,"

"Have you had dinner already?" Serena asked.

"No, there was a lot of traffic coming here, I didn't have time,"

"Are you hungry?" Rose asked.

"Nah, I'll eat something back at the apartment. Stefan isn't on call today and he probably ordered some food,"

"Okay," the pediatrician said quietly.

They tried to resume their previous conversation, but the air was too thick. A few minutes after Damon arrived, Serena whispered something in her husband's ear and less than ten minutes later they were saying their goodbyes to both surgeons.

"I owe you an apology," he offered the moment Rose walked back in the living room, card in hand although still inside the envelope.

"For what exactly?" she asked softly.

"For the way I reacted, for losing my mind, but especially for implying this was in any way your fault," his gaze locked on her teary one.

"Accepted," she voiced softly, trying to hold back tears. She couldn't believe how hormonal she had became from night to day, but she had had a hell of a day and she could only hope he had just come to apologize and would leave her be so that she could cry in privacy.

"I want this," he stood up from his place and walked towards her, until there were only a few inches separating them.

"What?" her voice cracked with the many emotions running through her body.

"Commitment, this relationship, this baby," he dared to move his hands, and while his initial plan was to touch her still flat stomach he had only been brave enough to reach her hand.

"We aren't in a relationship," she answered, looking away, but her hand remained in his.

"We will now,"

"I don't want to be with you or anyone else because of a baby,"

"I didn't mean it like that,"

"Then please, explain," she turned to look at him again.

"We're going to be parents… together… it automatically puts us in some sort of relationship, we'll do it together, we'll have to work like a team, and even if we _aren't_ together, we'll spend a lot of time together, making decisions, working out our schedules, and just trying to do our best by this kid," he offered, although he didn't have a clue where any of the words came from. It seemed Rose wasn't the only one who had witnessed the look Ryan and Serena exchanged when he congratulated the young couple. There was so much pride, happiness, and complicity in the way they looked to each other. And while he was waiting for the flowers in his office he allowed himself to think about the things Stefan had talked about earlier. He allowed himself to imagine a mini-Damon running around. He allowed himself to see himself teaching all sort of things to his _son_. Or daughter— although in all scenarios in his head he saw a boy. It had been three generations since a Salvatore girl was born and Damon didn't see that changing.

"Are you really agreeing to this?"

"I'm jumping with both feet in, actually," he smiled broadly.

"How is it that you've come to change your mind in less than twenty-four hours?"

"I had an insight, enlightening, realization, or whatever you want to call it,"

"And what was that?"

"That I could do it… with _you_. If there was anybody I could do this with, I knew it could only be with you," he offered with confidence.

"Damon, please, I'm not sure I can deal with you regretting those words tomorrow and coming here to say you've had a new insight," she walked away from him, taking a seat on the couch, while fidgeting with the small envelope in her hand.

"Rose, I was a jerk yesterday and I don't plan on going back to being one tomorrow. I guess it's time for me to grow up, once and all," he took a seat by her side, reaching for her hand again.

"I never expected you to react that way. I knew it would be a nightmare for you, but not to that extent, not like that,"

"I'm not good with words when put in such a, _surprising_, situation…" a heavy sigh escaped Damon's lips, "I don't know what to say. Let me show you how I feel the only way I'm good at," he moved her head to look at him, but she closed her eyes the moment they met his.

"I miss you," he admitted.

"It's not only us now, Damon. It's cliché, but it's still true,"

"I can't ask you to forget all the awful things I said yesterday, even before you told me about the baby, but I can ask and seek your forgiveness. Let's go back to where we were yesterday," he rested his forehead against hers.

"There's no time machine around for that. I can forgive you, but I'm hurt, you have no idea how much that hurt, it still hurts,"

"Rose, I love you,"

She was silent, her eyes remaining closed while the moisture from them escaped through her eyelashes.

"You know I do, I'm in love with you." he closed the small gap between them, brushing his lips against hers, but she didn't move. "Please," he mumbled before kissing her for a second time, and this time she answered.

"I'm in love with you too, Damon," she conceded once they broke apart and for a moment Damon didn't know what to say or do. "Damon?" she asked seeing how he didn't say anything, just looked at her with a completely stunned face.

"Really?" a look of shock stretched across his face, but hope strained in his voice and she felt her heart drop for him.

"Yes, and it has nothing to do with the baby, though it was the little push I needed to admit it to myself and to you," she cupped his face and initiated yet another soft kiss.

"Open it," he said when they broke apart for good after a few minutes of gentle kissing.

_To the two most important people in my life, who taught me I could love someone, even if I was too stupid and tried to fight against it._

_I never stood a chance… against falling for either of you._

_Damon _

* * *

"So why are you here again during your free night?" Rebekah asked as she took another forkful of food into her mouth.

"Do I need to have a reason? Can't I be a good friend to Klaus and be here with his sister while he recovers?" Stefan asked with a goofy smile.

"I've been unable to talk for ten years, Stefan, I learned how to read people's body language and I can see you're using me as an escape. Which I don't mind, really, if you continue to bring good food," Rebekah ate another piece of her stake. She had to go to that Matt's place as soon as she left. The food was just too good to be true.

"Fair enough," he answered vaguely.

"So?"

"My brother… he's also a doctor here, an attending doctor actually, and he's going through... something difficult and unexpected…" he explained uncomfortably until Rebekah interrupted him.

"Like impregnating his girlfriend?" Rebekah asked casually.

"What? How the hell is it possible that the staff know already? I can't believe they're already started gossiping about it," Stefan shook his head.

"Actually, I didn't hear anything. It was just a lucky guess. There are few things unexpected for a man, normally it's a pregnancy, and if your body language told me anything, it was that the girl isn't even his girlfriend, but I couldn't just say you brother impregnated a one night stand, that would be rude," she shrugged, and he smiled softly at her.

He didn't know much about the girl sitting in front of him, but her strength was something he couldn't even describe. He didn't exactly know what kind of accident she went through when she was only sixteen, and how she had survived, but he knew she went through a few surgical procedures according to observations Mason added to her chart. She admitted not being able to communicate with anyone for over ten years, out of shock, fear, PSTD, he didn't know. But here she was, after yet another surgery, being kind, strong, thoughtful and nice. Anyone in her place would be overwhelmed by recovering almost literally from night to day, but Rebekah wasn't like that. She looked forward, she tried to integrate herself the best she could. She looked hopeful.

"Hello?" she waved her hand in front of him, making him realize he was lost in his thoughts about her.

"Sorry, it's just that…" he tried to find the right words, but he didn't even know what he wanted to tell her.

"Is the girl his girlfriend?"

"What?" he asked a little bit lost.

"Your brother, the pregnant girl?"

"They're in a complicated sort of relationship. She told him the news yesterday, and he freaked out. He overreacted and said some pretty awful things to her,"

"And why are you using me as a distraction?"

"You're not a distraction, Rebekah,"

"Okay, an escape then," she stated putting her food away on the side table. She didn't seem uncomfortable by her assessment of his presence with her, on a Friday night, while all his friends were having fun across the street or the city. Hell, she wasn't about to complain, she could use the company. Besides, it had been too long since she interacted with someone that wasn't family or doctors, and although he was also her doctor, at the moment he was there as one of Nik's friends.

"I don't know if Damon will be able to fix things with Rose tonight, and he if doesn't he won't be good company when he arrives home,"

"Do you live together?"

"Yes,"

"And what about the rest of your family?"

"Dead,"

"I'm sorry," she offered genuinely.

"Don't be, it's only been me and my brother for years now, even though our father died a few years go. When we lost our mother, we also lost our father to alcohol and gambling," he opened up without giving it much thought. Even if she didn't provide many details, Rebekah had opened up to him and she seemed so… welcoming. It was hard for Stefan to define who Rebekah was and what kind of feelings she made him feel with knowing her for only two days – one of them unconscious nonetheless – but she seemed to be so intense, so lovely and loving.

"At least you have your brother,"

"Yeah, and Damon has helped me through thin and thick. He's always been there for me, which is why I know he'll be a great father,"

"I take it he doesn't believe so?" she asked, and he found himself once again impressed by how perceptive she was.

"No, he doesn't,"

"Well, the baby is coming either way, and soon he'll see that while it may be scary, billions of people have been doing it for some time now," she offered a soft smile, and he followed suit.

"I guess you're right,"

She shrugged and they stayed silent for a while.

"I'm moving to New York," she offered, wanting to take advantage of her newly recovered ability of speaking. Rebekah hated the silence she had lived through for so long.

"Oh," Stefan was surprised by the revelation, and was stuck trying to figure out why he enjoyed her company more with every passing minute they spent together.

"Please, don't make me uncomfortable with your overwhelming excitement,"

"You'll like it here,"

"I doubt it, I love England, I love London, but… Nik wants me to be here and I want to be around my brother and he can't exactly leave now," she offered, and Stefan could see clearly how uncomfortable she had become all of a sudden.

"You could just come on holidays if you really want to stay there, I'm sure Klaus will understand,"

"No, he's right… I should be here… I don't want to go back and risk…" she looked more and more uncomfortable, to the point where Stefan thought she was actually scared, "I don't want to risk my recovery regressing,"

"As far as I can say you're fully recovered, Rebekah,"

"For a long time my memories and perception of reality were clouded, blurred. I knew my youngest brother had died a little bit after my accident, and I don't recall anyone explaining it to me. Nik had only left afterwards…"

"You thought Klaus had died as well," Stefan concluded, and she looked down at the hands resting on her lap, as a couple of tears fell.

"Nobody ever talked about him, except my doctors wanting to provoke any kind of reaction out of me," she explained, but Stefan didn't say anything, he just her take her time and continue to talk.

"Kol and I are twins, but I've always been closer to Eli and Nik, especially Nik. We were as close as siblings can be. We've been there for each other through everything and in my family everything is a lot more than you can imagine. We took care of each other… he had some… accidents growing up. Like when he was five, he had gotten really sick, and I was always tending his injuries… he didn't cry in front of anyone but me. And he protected me from everything except that one night. But it wasn't his fault, he couldn't have known," through her rambles her words got softer and quicker, her nerves making her voice quiver as tears started falling down her face freely. Stefan knew she had recovered from the concussion, but he wouldn't risk her having the anxiety attack she seemed to be headed to.

"Hey, Rebekah, it's over. You're both here today, there's no accident, no injuries, no tears, it's over," he offered, not knowing if that was true or not. All he really knew about Klaus was that he was very problematic and it took him a while to become close to the other residents. The Brit seemed particularly annoyed by Stefan's broody personality, but as time passed, especially since Klaus and Caroline grew closer, Stefan and Klaus got closer as well. But they were still far from being good friends. The only people Klaus seemed to truly trust were Caroline and Elijah – but both had to work a lot to earn that trust.

"I'm sorry," she said when she felt his hand on hers.

"I'll make sure to give you a tour of the city, to show you the best of New York, maybe you'll like it better and you won't miss England too much,"

"Is your brother that bad that you'll need an escape for nine months?" she smiled weakly.

"This isn't me using you, Rebekah. Maybe at first I thought 'why not? She wants good food, I don't want to go home early', but I could have left after I brought you your food, and I didn't. I'm enjoying being here with you and I'll show you New York because I want you to have a good time while you stay here,"

"I don't need your pity, Stefan." she took her hand away from his and turned to the opposite side of her bed.

"Pity? Do you have any idea how intrigued and impressed I am by your strength and will?" he reached for her hand again.

"I'm your patient, the girl that didn't speak for ten years, the girl that can't talk about her brother without hyperventilating and feeling like the walls are closing in. I'm just the girl that's been through too many surgeries, shrinks, treatments to count. The best that money could buy, but who still didn't recover until she realized the brother she thought had died came to visit in the summer. God, how pathetic I am!"

"Look at me," he said, but she didn't budge.

"Rebekah, look at me," the usual tenderness in his voice gone, and for the first time that day Rebekah heard Stefan being demanding – or angry, she wasn't sure.

It took her a while – as she tried to hold back her tears – but she finally looked at him.

"I'm not here as your doctor. I'm not here because I don't want to meet my brother at home. I'm here because I'm enjoying talking to you and although that's unethical because you're my patient. But in a couple of days you won't be anymore, and I will still want to show you New York, not because I pity you, but because I'll be allowed to become your friend if you want to be mine," he said, while keeping an intense gaze on her. She nodded her head, looking down before whispering okay.

"Great, now tell me what is you like the most in London and I'll show you not only that we have it in the US, but ours is better," he said cockily.

* * *

"Hey," Katherine offered as Elijah entered their apartment, "How was dinner?" she asked looking up from the medical digest in her hands.

"Good," he answered tiredly as he took his suit jacket and threw it on one of the chairs. The moment he did Katherine frowned and discarded the magazine, knowing that her fiancé wasn't 'good'. Elijah never left anything out of its place, especially in the living room.

"Is everything okay, honey?" she asked as she stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"It's just been a difficult week," he offered her a weak smile.

"But it's over now," she offered before kissing him deeply and longingly.

She was about to wrap her legs around him as well when she tasted something on her lips. She broke the kiss and, surprisingly, she noticed tears were rolling down on his face.

"Lijah?" she asked concerned. Her fiancé was always in excellent control of his emotions, always so composed, stoic some might say. She had surely not expected to see him cry.

He only shook his head, not knowing how to stop it. He hated himself for showing weakness, especially to his woman, but everything was finally taking its toll on him.

"Baby, come here," she offered him her outstretched hand, as she guided them to their bedroom. She was terrible comforting people, but men and tears, especially the man she loved, was something she didn't have a clue of how to handle.

"Just give me a moment," he offered as they sat on their bed, avoiding looking at her as he continued to try and cover his emotions.

"Elijah, look at me," she asked, but he didn't move. "Please," she insisted, but still, nothing.

She reached for his chin and turned his face to hers, but his eyes continued their avoidance.

"That's your sister, someone you thought you had lost forever and now she's finally back. That's not something to take lightly. One minute you thought you could really lose her for good, and the next, not only has she made it through once again, but she's on her way to being the girl she was ten years ago," she offered, but still he didn't react.

The previous night, after they went back to their place Elijah told her everything about Rebekah, Klaus, Tatia and himself, and went through all the painful details of what happened ten years ago. Katherine was shocked, and had even found herself crying as he told her the story, but he had remained his usual self, as if he was explaining a surgical case. She should know better. Although Elijah looked like a machine to the outside world, nobody could turn their emotions off completely. No one could be strong and bigger than such disheartening situations like the one his family had faced. It was only logical to expect it to fully affect him at some point, and she shouldn't really be surprised that not even twenty-four hours later he was finally breaking down.

"Niklaus is right. It's not fair. She may have overcome all the difficulties life threw at her, but she's my baby sister. I lost my little brother out of this and my younger brother lost himself while Rebekah barely lived. And now she's had some bizarre accident in a hotel room? And she had to have yet _another _surgery and risk all of the progress she's had lately. She used to be so full of life, and while she was difficult at times – most times even – she had such a big heart. She was always so sweet, and loved too easily.

"She didn't deserve it, any of it, and I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything to save Niklaus, Henrik, or Rebekah. For years I've felt powerless, I've felt ashamed, I've felt like a failure, but right now I just feel tired, overwhelmed and drained," he confessed, his voice nearly hysterical, completely the opposite of his collected self, and Katherine hated herself at the moment because instead of being strong for the man she loved, she broke down with him from the mere sight of himself in such a state.

"I'm so sorry," she offered, barely holding back the sobs.

"It's not fair," he kept repeating as she hugged him, and they both cried.

"I wish I could make it better for you, there was nothing I wouldn't give to make that pain stop now," she managed to say a few minutes later, holding him as tight as she could.

That seemed to have awakened Elijah from his reverie. He could see how she really meant those words and it meant the world to him at that moment.

"Thank you, darling,"

"I could say everything will be okay, that nothing bad will come to Rebekah or any of you again, but I don't know if that's true and I would never lie to you. You're right, it's not fair with Rebekah or with anyone in your family, and I really wish none of you would ever have to go through any of those things again. The only thing I can assure you is that I'll be here for you every step of the way. You can always come to me and I'm sorry I'm no more of a mess than you right now. It's just seeing you like this is breaking my heart," she broke their embrace for a moment and looked at his red, puffy eyes. She knew he had cried about Rebekah when she finally found him in Mason's office the day before, but seeing him actually cry now – for the first time – proved to be one of the most painful experiences she had went through- and Katherine had been through a lot herself so that was saying something.

"It makes such a difference to me," he tugged on a loose strand of hair from her face, "Nobody's ever been there for me because they never thought I needed it. Because I was always strong, collected, completely-in-control Elijah. It's good to know I can show vulnerability and not look like a weak, disappointing, failure of a man to you," he admitted and her heart clenched for him.

"Let me love you, let me show that your vulnerability just makes me love you more," she offered suddenly sober from her own breakdown.

"Katherine," he whispered closing his eyes, and that was all she needed to reach for him again, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss.

She knew he was questioning and doubting himself at the moment and she knew he felt like he was disappointing her, like he was always supposed to hold everything at bay, but she was going to prove him that he could show her all those things. If anything, this would only make her love him more. It was reassuring to know he trusted her to show a side of himself he seemingly never showed to anyone before.

Slowly her hand reached his button-up shirt and one by one she unclasped the buttons, before she pulled him out of it.

They rarely made slow, deep, soft love. Their sexual encounters had always been intense, passionate, full of love, but also wild and nearly animalistic. It was part of who she was and she felt like Elijah released all the repressed and contained emotions in bed. If out of bed he was the synonym of composure, control and the epitome of being a gentleman, in bed he was an animal and she loved he matched her so perfectly. But tonight he needed something different and tonight she was going to be something different for the man she loved.

Her lips left his mouth and softly and slowly went down his jaw, shoulder, neck, chest and stomach. She reached for the zipper of his dress pants, and took them off along with his boxer shorts. Finally she removed his socks and the moment she found him completely naked under her on their bed, she started kissing him again. Working her way up she started showering kisses on his calves, making sure she kissed every inch of bare skin.

She was wearing one of his shirts, and while she kissed his thighs, she undid its buttons and let it slide away from her once she approached his groin. Tonight wasn't about giving him a blow job, tonight was about showing him that she loved him, every single part, with all his human limitations, so when she finally reached his erect member, she only gave it a chaste kiss before she continued her way up, going across his upper body again, even slower than the first time.

Elijah didn't react much except for the moans he couldn't hold back. When he tried to touch her, she intertwined their hands together, showing him that it was about him and him alone. He could and would have all their other nights together to make it about her – like he usually did.

She finally reached his lips again, but before she kissed him she uttered the words she knew he needed more than anything to hear again, "I love you,"

"I love you, too," he said as he felt her hand on his member, guiding him to her own center and when their lips finally met again she slowly guided him inside her.

She moved her now free hand back to his and clasped it, holding both of their hands together by his head as they moved painfully slow, their lips connected just as every other part of their bodies were.

She rocked her body as she felt his own strong one under hers meeting her thrusts. Elijah couldn't think of anything more comforting than the way she loved him that night. The woman over him at the moment was probably just as broken as his sister, but she could heal the wounds he had in his soul and never admitted to anyone he had. But it all just made him love her even more.

They continued their unhurried tryst for many long minutes, until Elijah changed their positions so he was on top. Without speeding things up his natural strength and virility made it all the more intense now that he was the one controlling their movements. Being the epitome of vigorous and manly, his movements, although slow were calculated and nearly leisurely, still made her body react in ways she couldn't control. "Elijah," she moaned, as he hit a rather sensitive spot inside her. His lips abandoned her own and found their way through her tempting neck and towards her ear.

The speed was still subpar compared to their normal crazy rendezvous, but the intensity was just the same – if not more – and she could feel his power overtaking her body, his ministrations now closer to their usual in terms of force.

"Come, my love, come," he whispered before biting her earlobe, their hands still connected, her grip on his almost bruising.

"Touch me," she begged, but he refused her, only putting more purpose in his thrusts.

"No, not tonight, you'll come with just me inside of you," he said in the usual commanding voice he reserved for their trysts, and it turned her on even more.

He sped up slightly, needing his own climax to be built up and after a bit more time Katherine finally felt her body come alive with sensation, in a way it had never before. She shook as her toes curled and she pressed her body hard against his, her orgasm taking over. Her cries of pleasure echoing throughout the building.

"My turn, darling," he whispered in her ear before going full throttle, in the way she was used to, before she could completely come down from her high she felt herself being pushed to another cloud nine ecstasy again, his name on her lips as he groaned deeply and guttural.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus were back to their morning routine and she couldn't be more thankful for that. The week was finally ending and it was, to say the least, a relief. It had been difficult the past four days starting with their fight and ending with Rebekah being admitted and operated on. But now it was Friday and everything was finally getting back to normal again.

"I forgot to tell you something," he said as they ate at the kitchen's counter.

"What?"

"My mother and Rebekah aren't going back to UK,"

"That's great," she offered cheerily, knowing that it would help him a lot to have his sister around, and of course, his mother.

"But they still need to find a permanent place to stay and so I suggested that they stay here instead of a hotel. I said I would speak to you…"

"Here?" she nearly choked on her coffee.

"Is there a problem with that, love?" he didn't miss her reaction

"It's… unexpected,"

"I could tell them to stay at the hotel," he suggested.

"No! God Klaus, what would they think of me if I said no?"

"Caroline, it's your house, love; I overstepped my boundaries even suggesting it before talking to you,"

"It's just that Katherine said your mother lives in a freaking castle, and I'm a slob, my house is a mess, and she'll hate me…" the blond started to panic, but her boyfriend was soon enveloping her in his arms and kissing the side of her head.

"My mother already loves you, sweetheart, as she should,"

"That's only until she sees my house,"

"Love, look at me,"

She did as he said, and he could see she was really losing her mind about it.

"My mother won't think badly of you because of the house, or anything else. And if she does, I don't care. I love you, I want to be with you and that's all that matters to me. Besides, I'm positive that's all that matters to her," he offered before he pecked her lips, "Okay?"

"But, I'm so…"

"Perfect, that's the only word to describe you. You're perfect and you make me happy,"

"Do I?"

"Do you even have to ask, love?"

"This week has seemed like an endless ride through hell. Just last weekend we were having the best couple of days of my life and then we fought, and Rebekah had her accident. Why are things always so intense with us? You were shot last month for God's sake. I'm pretty sure I don't even know what normal is anymore. I couldn't recognize it even if I wanted it," she opened up, letting all the feelings she bottled in out.

"This, love, is the normal. Us having breakfast together, and cuddling as you call it, before we head off to another day of work," he explained, kissing her cheek.

"It's just… since we've been together there has always been something to taint it. First you were injured, and then this week happened. I'm just afraid of the next storm to come,"

"It doesn't have to be, sweetheart,"

"But I can just feel it in my guts, I know another one is coming," she looked at him, her eyes desperate and tired.

"And I wish we had time before work for me to prove you otherwise. I've yet to ravish you the way I intend to Caroline, but I'm feeling more and more like my old self now,"

"If what you did at the resort wasn't ravishing, I can't assure you I'll survive whatever you have planned," she allowed his words to soothe her neurotic thoughts.

"You'll survive just fine, sweetheart, actually that's when you'll start living the best days of your life," he pecked her on the lips again before breaking their embrace. They had to leave if they didn't want to be late.

"I sometimes forget how cocky you can be,"

"Am I lying? Have I disappointed you so far?" he raised his eyebrows with a wolfish look on his face.

"No, you're just that good," she said before putting the dishes in the sink and taking her purse from the counter.

"I'll tell mother and Rebekah to stay at the hotel,"

"No, I want them to stay here. House hunting can be really exhausting and frustrating and going back to a cold, impersonal hotel room will only make it worse. Also I think Rebekah would like it here better. She's finally better and some familiarity would be welcome, even if she doesn't know me,"

"And that's, darling, is why you're perfect," he kissed her deep and long, before they finally headed to work

* * *

Much to most of Presbyterian's staff, that Friday was uneventful. Especially to those surrounding Klaus and Elijah, who had had such a difficult week. Rebekah was fully recovered from the fall and she was going to be released the following morning with prospects of a nice future in America. As promised, Mason had contacted his acquaintances and Klaus scheduled appointments for his sister the following week with one of the neurologists and a new therapist, also from Mason's recommendations. Caroline took the chance to schedule an appointment for herself. Although she had previously decided to start therapy at the Presbyterian she decided against it in the end. Not only because Mason had recommended Klaus the best in New York, but also because she didn't need the gossip mill about her to include yet another aspect of her private life. She could only imagine what they would say if she started therapy here. Without any doubt they would relate it to Klaus and how she must need it if she was in a relationship with the Original Evil.

Except that that assumption wasn't completely wrong. She wanted to do this in part because of her relationship with her boyfriend, but only because she wanted to give him the best version of herself. She knew he needed her in this moment, more than he ever needed her before. They were all hopeful about Rebekah, but bumps could happen and she knew Klaus was barely holding it together, even if he was happier than she had ever seen him.

"I have a family dinner tonight, my brother Finn and his wife Sage arrived this morning and mother wants all of us to finally be reunited again," he said to Caroline early on Saturday.

"Who took Rebekah home?" she asked, surprised he wasn't back at the hospital first thing in the morning.

"Mother and Uncle Nate. They decided to stay at the hotel until Nate, Kol, Sage and Finn go back to UK. They'll move in on Monday if that's okay with you," he explained as they leisurely rested on his bed.

"Sure," she offered and although she was more comfortable with that situation, she still feared she would do something wrong and lead Esther to disapprove of her.

"Which is why we should make the best of our alone time while we still can," he kissed her neck and she closed her eyes, but they had just made love after waking up and she was literally drained.

"Nik, sorry, baby, but I can't do it again. There isn't one ounce of strength left in me, the week has finally ended and I feel like I don't want to leave this bed for the next couple of days,"

"That works fine with me," he said as he continued to explore her skin with open mouthed kisses.

"Where does all that energy come from? I thought at this point you would be even more exhausted than me,"

"I have excellent stamina,"

"What aren't you excellent at?" she giggled, but her laugh quickly turned into a moan when he reached her breast.

"I've yet to find out, though I pretty much gave up on it. It's been twenty-eight years and I've got nothing," he said before he resumed his place by her side, bringing her body to rest over his. He really felt like another round was possible, but he could see she was really tired.

"I completely agree, there's no flaw," she said as she caressed his chest, where his birds' tattoos decorated his strong body.

"Don't feed my ego, sweetheart," he smiled, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the heaven that was waking up to her side, making love to her and then cuddling with her without a care in the world. His life finally felt good, nearly perfect.

"I decided to give some thought to other specialties," she said, changing the subject drastically.

"And why is that? I thought you were fascinated about the brain and all its mysteries?"

"I am, but working with Rose has been so rewarding, and your brother is so amazing, heart surgery is definitely more interesting than I would have expected,"

"I agree on Peds," he said lazily, and she actually raised her body a little bit to look down at him.

"What?"

"Pediatrics is unexpectedly good. I'm not a kid's kind of guy, as you can imagine – and for the past ten years I was totally convinced I couldn't be around any of my siblings' future children – not that I was complaining about it, but it was surprisingly nice actually being able to work with and on children. They aren't as bad as I suspected," he explained and she wondered if this possibly meant he didn't want to have kids of his own. But she stopped those thoughts right there. They hadn't been together for two months yet and she was getting way to ahead of herself if she thought kids were going to become a problem to them. They were in a good place, but long terms plan such as family were still too premature.

"Can you see yourself being a pediatrician?" she asked out of curiosity, getting back to her previous train of thought.

"I've been thinking about something Kol told me, actually,"

"And what is that?"

"That I should have never become a doctor to start with," he admitted, and now she completely broke the contact between their bodies and sat down on the bed.

"What? Why? You're one of the best residents at the hospital; it comes so naturally to you… although you could work on your bedside manners,"

"I'm not a people person and I should have thought better about becoming a doctor,"

"You and Elijah probably took after it from your father. I think being a doctor was your destiny. It would be a shame to waste such natural talent," she said, remembering how someone from his family mentioned his late father was also a doctor.

Klaus took a deep breath. He still remembered their conversation just a few days ago. Somehow it felt like months since they talked on Tuesday, and when she reassured him she wouldn't judge him for his past, and that she wanted to be there for him if he wanted to share his pain with her. He knew Elijah was also right, and it was time he started talking to Caroline about who he really was and starting with Mikael meant starting with the easiest part of his troubled life.

"I'm not Mikael's son," he offered quietly.

"What?" she asked confused.

"When I was five I was very sick and the doctors couldn't find what was wrong with me. Nate helped with the diagnosis, but when it turned out I had a genetic disease Mikael ran a paternity test and found out I wasn't his son, but the fruit of my mother's affair during some vacation,"

"I'm sorry, Nik, but even if you didn't take after him, you're still talented and an amazing doctor," she offered lying on his chest again, reaching for his hand and squeezing it.

"There's more to the story, Caroline," he took yet another deep breath.

"He blamed me for my mother's indiscretion and he took it on me and my siblings,"

"What do you mean?" she asked moving back to her pillow to face him, although she had a clear idea of what he meant.

"He started becoming violent with all of us, except Henrik and Rebekah, but he was especially volatile with me," he admitted, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his jaw tense as well as the rest of his muscles.

"Oh, Nik," she said embracing him.

"Please, don't pity me, love," he asked softly.

"I'm not pitying you, you know I would never do that, but I really feel for you and your siblings," she kissed him before burying her face into the crook of his shoulder.

"I'm happy I'm not related to him, he was a despicable man," he offered with hatred clear in his tone.

"You're not like him, even if I don't know much about him, I know you enough and I can say you are nothing like him," she moved her fingers to his tattoo again.

"He's not worth mentioning. There's nothing good to be said about him and I'm happy he's dead," he said harshly, and she soothed him with her touch and soft kisses while they stayed silent for a while.

"And did you ever meet your biological father?" she asked after a few moments.

"My mother never told the truth about who he was. I think she was afraid of Mikael killing him. Nobody would put it after him. He was capable of any atrocity,"

"Would you like to meet him?"

"It doesn't matter. He was never a part of my life, and I know this subject has always been difficult for mother because she blamed herself for Mikael's actions,"

"Yes, she made a mistake, but nothing she did justifies what he did against you. You and your siblings shouldn't pay for her mistakes. Violence should never be payment to her mistakes, regardless of who it was aimed at. If he didn't love her, or couldn't forgive her for what she did, he should have left her,"

"Mikael was a proud man, and we're part of the royal family, even if distantly. He would never have allowed people to learn about her indiscretions or admit his failure with a divorce. He was cruel, and he preferred to make her pay in the most painful way,"

"And why didn't she do anything?"

"Again, royal family business, love. I would never agree with it, but there was a lot of pressure on her shoulders and she couldn't make a scandal. How do you think people would have reacted if they knew children in the succession line, even if at the end of it, had been hit by their father for years to come?"

"That's so unfair!" she protested, indignant.

"But it's over and there's no need to unbury it. I just wanted you to know a little bit more about me and as you talked about it. I just thought now was a good moment," he admitted, kissing her forehead, while brushing her shoulder.

"I'm happy you trust me with this, Nik. And you're right, it doesn't matter anymore," she hugged him, offering him any sort of comfort although she knew nothing could erase the physical and emotional pain he went through.

"No, it doesn't," he offered completely unaware that his real father was much closer than he had ever imagined.

* * *

_AN.: so many things I love about this chapter. Kalijah sex, Rose and Damon finally admitting their feelings and will to be in a relationship. Stebekah starting to develop and of course, Klaroline. Klaus is starting to open up to her and I love it._

_I want to thank my lovely reviewers, I have the best ;) and my great beta, **Erin.**_

_Now I'm going to add here a part of a canon story I'm working on. I need a beta so I can publish it. If you want to beta it, let me know. If you want to give me your opinion about it, let me know. This is not the entire chapter, only part of it._

_Have a nice weekend. xx_

* * *

**_Hopes and Dreams_**

**_I_**

_"Caroline," desperation hit him as he called her name a second time and still she didn't answer._

_He knew she would die, he could feel the life leaving her body and he knew he didn't have much time to make a decision. He should let her die, he had to keep his word, he had to show those people - Tyler especially – that he was as ruthless as ever. He had showed too much mercy towards the people in this town. He should have killed them all – but her – a long time ago, after they tried to kill him the first time. He knew allowing her to live not only gave Tyler victory, but also showed everyone who wanted to see it that he had a weakness, that there was something stronger than his will to feel nothing._

_As an almost silent moan left her lips and her body seemed to relax he made a decision, hoping it wasn't already too late. He moved to the couch, raising her body and bringing her head to rest on his chest, as he bit his own wrist and offered it to her mouth, hoping she would suck it. Praying she would drink from him._

_It took her a second – or two – but he could finally feel her fangs entering his ripped skin and her lips embracing him. His heart that had stopped for a moment, resumed its slow pace, and as she moved her hand to hold his arm, he stroked her hair, feeling the ecstasy of sharing blood with her even more intensely than he felt the first time. He could hear her moans – from pain and pleasure as well, he knew, as he felt her other hand holding his own. The moment her cold fingers touched his he almost lost it, but still found strength to keep going._

_He continued to brush her hair, feeling her taking his life, feeling her suck him in, in more ways than physically. She was still weak and he knew he had indeed been seconds away of losing her forever. She took her time drinking from him, not being able to drink faster, but he didn't mind. He was holding her and she wasn't objecting and for a moment it almost felt like she was caressing his hand the same way he was caressing her hair._

_She didn't know if it was the exhaustion or the soft and soothing touch if his hand on her hair, but her eyelids were too heavy for her to keep them open, and her body didn't seem to have energy to keep sucking from it and consciousness slowly left her._

_He realized the exactly moment she fell asleep, the moment she stopped drinking from him, even if her fangs took a few seconds to retract. But he couldn't move himself from behind her. He couldn't let her go as the words she said kept coming back to him._

_He couldn't believe them; she was probably hallucinating, or worse, manipulating him like she had done so many times before. Either way she didn't mean those words and, therefore, they couldn't be true. There was no hope of salvation for him, not after so many years, not after so many crimes, so many sins. He was hopeless because otherwise he would be fooling himself. There was nothing left for him now that he lost his hybrids and the doppelganger bloodline died with Elena. He couldn't risk to make Elena become human again, and between his hybrids – that proved to be easily un-sired, and his sister last attempt on happiness, he chose Rebekah. It was the least he could do for her after everything he did to her. She had been with him through everything, never leaving his side, he owed her._

_It didn't go unnoticed by him that such thoughts wouldn't have crossed his mind a year ago. He had always loved all his siblings – Rebekah especially – and he would always will, but he would also always put himself first for he knew nobody else would. But somewhere in the past few months he found himself feeling guilty for all the times he betrayed Rebekah – and recently he'd been thinking about Elijah as well. It was a foreign experience that could have been a result of learning that not even his sired hybrids would be the ever loyal family he needed, but he knew better than that. The main reason of that change of heart was now lying against his dark cold broken heart._

_Caroline could be aware of his feelings – that he had never acknowledged even to himself – but she didn't have a clue on her impact in his life. It wasn't her actions, it wasn't her doing. It was simply a consequence of falling in love with her. And it scared him. He had no control over his emotions towards this one girl, and now he felt like everything he had suppressed for a thousand years hit him like a tidal wave. It wasn't only finally loving someone that scared him, it was the power it seemed to have. He knew deep down that Caroline was about to open a gate that had been closed for a longer than a millennium. A gate that prevented any sort of emotion to ever come to the surface. And as each year passed, he added more suppressed and contained emotions inside this place in his heart. With every life he took, with every plea he ignored, with every disappointment, betrayal and hatred action towards him, he buried every human reaction in that little room. The only problem was that it wasn't just a little room anymore, not after a thousand years of bottled up emotions._

_As he held a sleeping Caroline he wondered if she had only been the last straw of an almost infinite amount of repressed emotions, the one that he couldn't hold back because the once small place inside himself where he hid his every emotion was now the biggest part of his self, even if he used every sin he ever committed to bury it deep in his soul, to a place that couldn't even be accessed anymore._

_And now he could feel the lock giving up, he could feel the walls he built succumbing, he could feel everything he ever felt, but rejected, coming back to him and he didn't need to be as wise as he was to know he was closing in dangerous territory. Unknown territory and after living for so long Klaus wasn't familiar with the unknown anymore. He'd seen it all, but he hadn't seen a man recover from a tsunami of feelings that he bottled up for so long. None of his siblings did it. Even Kol showed emotion from time to time, but he had kept it all in. Until Caroline, until now. And feeling his emotions about to take over he feared for his survival. He had barely survive those fifty two years of hallucinations, but he was positive what he was about to enter was much worse. And even if he had killed Caroline that night – as he had truly intended to – it would have been too late. It would have been too much. He was indeed completely in love with her and if he lost her now, he would lose himself along with her. He would die along with her. But she was very much alive in his arms and he had to find a way to deal with it before his love for her became the end of him, and not in the way he had always thought love was weakness. Because the love that was about to take over and destroy him wasn't about weakness, but about a strength he had no control over. Something that was stronger than him._


	26. Chapter XXV

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**XXV**

* * *

Finn and Sage finally joined them, and not only was Caroline impressed by how beautiful the redhead was, but even more so by how they allowed her to cross the Atlantic with such a huge stomach. It was hard to believe she was only twenty-four weeks along when it looked like the babies were about to pop out at any minute.

She met them at lunch, when she and Katherine joined the Mikaelson family. It seemed like dinner was going to be an intimate affair for the family, and Esther felt an obligation to explain to both residents that certain personal matters pertaining to the family would be discussed and apologized for by not extending an invitation to the girls. Katherine and Caroline of course didn't mind, and because Caroline was supposed to have a shift that Saturday and she wouldn't be available anyway. In the end it worked out, as Esther was adamant about having the meal in a private setting over a restaurant, leaving only Caroline's and Elijah's places as the only possible locations.

Caroline's table accommodated the large family and Esther felt better knowing she wouldn't have to kindly ask Caroline not to be present in the event hosted in her own house. But taking one look at Klaus as she spoke to his girlfriend she could say her son was far from happy of how things were planned, but still he didn't say a thing.

As they also had lunch at Caroline's, they decided to stay for a while, and be nice to the girl that not only was dating the man most of them hadn't seen in so long, but also who would kindly be offering her place for Esther and Rebekah to live in.

* * *

The afternoon was filled with casual conversation, but everyone was somewhat tense, even the siblings. They didn't know what was so important to discuss; they were just as curious as the residents. Rebekah and Kol were feeling especially curious as they lived with Esther, and they still didn't have a clue about what she wanted to say. Sage was anxious about it, knowing it couldn't be good if no one else but family could be around. She was overly tired because of the twins constant moving and kicking, feeling their mother's anxiety. When Caroline realized how agitated the redhead was, she offered one of the guests' rooms – where Bonnie used to live – for her to rest, so Finn could also enjoy the family reunion, instead of going back to the hotel.

When it was finally time for Caroline to leave, Katherine rode with her and they left all the Mikaelson's behind. It seemed that the family wasn't tiring of each other's presence anytime soon, as no one wanted to go back to the hotel, or excuse themselves to take showers or get ready for the night. It was like it used to be before Rebekah's accident. They would spend the day together, and at night each would leave for their personal plans. But they all knew tonight would be different with the looming unknown conversation to come.

"When is the suspense going to end?" Kol asked as soon as the girls left the house.

"Let's eat first. The food will arrive around seven. We'll eat, and then we'll talk," Esther answered, leading her youngest son to roll his eyes.

"Is that really necessary, mother?" Finn asked, also bothered by such secrecy.

"I want us to have a nice meal together; it's been such a long while since it's happened,"

"It just happened at lunch," Rebekah protested.

"But your brothers' girlfriends were there, and now it's only us," Esther answered while Nathaniel quietly watched. He felt compelled to help Esther, but he was afraid the siblings would notice that tonight's conversation would be spoken by him as well. But as they started to gang up on his beloved, he couldn't hold back.

"Enough. You aren't children anymore. Your mother said she wants to discuss the matters she has in mind after dinner, and that's when it'll be done," his voice was quiet as usual, but firm, and no one dared to say another word on the subject.

"I'm going to check on Sage," Finn offered, leaving the room.

They stayed silent, trying to keep themselves busy with something. Kol was distracted with his phone; Elijah quietly drank from his glass of wine. Esther and Nathaniel were making themselves busy while Rebekah found one of Caroline's magazines to amuse herself with. Klaus simply sat there, somewhat thankful for the silence. It had been overwhelming for him to be surrounded by his entire family so suddenly. With his mother and Elijah he had time to prepare himself and to get used to being around them again. With Rebekah there was really no adaptation, only relief.

"I'm going to take a shower," Klaus said.

"Nik, do you think Caroline would mind if I took a shower as well and wore some of her clothes? I don't have my things with me,"

"Rebekah!" Esther protested.

"What? If you want me to wait another couple of hours before you finally say whatever it is that you have to say, at least let me spend some time taking a shower,"

"I'm going to the hotel. Sage is tired, but she also wants to take a shower. I'll bring you clothes, baby sister," Finn said re-entering the room.

"Thank you, brother, although I already asked all of you to cut the 'baby' crap. It was bad when I was sixteen, but it's absolutely unacceptable for a twenty-six-year old."

"You'll always be our baby, Bekah," Kol quipped.

"You aren't even older than me!"

"I am, by minutes!"

"Ugh, I'm going to take my shower," she turned to leave the living room.

"I'm going to go with Finn. Do you need anything, mother?" Kol smirking, ignoring his sister. He loved to rile her up. Or everyone else.

"Uncle Nate?"

"Thanks, son, but I'm good,"

"I'll drive," Elijah suggested standing from his seat.

"Does Caroline have a bathtub, Nik?" Rebekah asked while she followed her brother upstairs.

"Rebekah!" Esther protested again.

"We're going to live here for a couple of weeks, mother. There's nothing wrong with getting familiar with the environment. Also I could use some bubbles," Rebekah stopped halfway up the staircase, shrugging her shoulders at her mother.

Nathaniel and Esther waited until they were sure Rebekah and Klaus were distracted and not within hearing range, before they spoke.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked softly, his hand reaching her tense shoulders, offering a gentle touch.

"We've postponed it long enough, Nate,"

"But it seems like we're finally happy again, all of us. We don't know how they'll react,"

"They won't react well, I'm sure. I know my children," she sighed tiredly.

"_Your _children…" he whispered.

"Only for a few more hours, I promise, my love," she offered a reassuring smile, and he nodded, before kissing her forehead.

* * *

"This food is amazing," Rebekah commentated while they ate.

"I agree, Katherine and I also enjoy it," Elijah completed.

"You've always enjoyed the best of what life has to offer, brother," Kol smiled.

"And what's wrong with that, Kol?" the heart surgeon asked before sipping his wine.

"Nothing at all! Especially if it means great food,"

"Are you feeling better, Sage?" Rebekah asked her sister-in-law.

"Yes, the twins seem to have calmed down, finally. I can't imagine how the trip back home will be,"

"It'll be okay, darling," Finn kissed his wife's cheek, reaching for her hand and squeezing it.

Nathaniel observed his son closely. Klaus had an easy smile on his face while the whole family ate, but he didn't say much. He was quiet – just like himself – but he could see clearly that his son was happy. He only hoped it wouldn't change once he and Esther revealed their secret.

"How is your practice, Uncle Nate?" Rebekah asked her uncle.

"It's fine, Rebekah, I'm cutting off some hours, and I'm going to be taking an indefinite vacation in a couple of months,"

"Is everything alright, Nate?" Klaus asked concerned about his uncle.

"Yes, Niklaus, everything is fine. There's a dream I've had for too many decades and I'm finally going to be able to do it. I'm going to travel all Europe, some places I've been to alone, and to some places I've never gone,"

"What do you mean alone? Have you finally found someone, Uncle Nate?" Kol asked with a big smile.

"It's been one woman for a while now, Kol. And now, we can finally be together, I'm going to spend the rest of my years with her, as it was supposed to be since the beginning,"

"I'm happy for you, Nate," Klaus offered, followed by his siblings and sister-in-law, but Esther stayed quiet and it didn't escape Elijah's eyes.

"How about I serve us some dessert?" the surgeon asked a few minutes later, when they all seemed to have finished their food.

"That would be lovely, Elijah, once it's served then I think we should talk," Esther offered with a warm smile, but the entire table got tense, knowing it couldn't be good.

"I'll help you," Kol offered, followed by Rebekah.

Klaus observed his mother closely. Her uneasiness was obvious, but there was something else in her expression that he couldn't identify. His uncle also seemed uncomfortable and he wondered what it could be.

"Chocolate cake, my favorite," Rebekah cheered once she reentered the room with her brothers.

"We know, Bekah, that's why we ordered it," Nathaniel offered her a soft smile.

Elijah and Esther served all of them, but before they could start their own dessert, Esther spoke.

"I don't know how to start this conversation," she admitted. The siblings took notice of witnessing their mother for the first time being so vulnerable with them about something that didn't involve her children's health.

"The beginning is always a good start, mother,"

"I've never loved Mikael," she started ominously.

The color of Klaus' face drained and he knew immediately where this was headed.

"Trust me, mother, it would have been shocking if you said at some point you had," Kol tried to joke, but everyone was too serious to laugh.

"For the whole of our marriage I've had an affair with another man," she admitted, her face blushing, her eyes downcast.

Nathaniel stayed quiet, sitting by her side. There was nothing he wanted more than to reach for her, but he knew the siblings would connect the dots before they were supposed to. They agreed to tell the entire story tonight, but it would be better if she were able to prepare them somewhat before they delivered the life-changing news. News they weren't sure they could be forgiven for.

"With my father," Klaus concluded, with a bitter tone.

"Yes, Niklaus, with your father," she confirmed, and no other words were said for a few minutes.

"Well?" the resident asked when nobody else did, their desserts completely forgotten.

"You're not the only one who isn't Mikael's, Niklaus," Esther added lifting her chin and trying to stay strong. She knew the mess was about to start.

"What?" Rebekah was the first to ask.

"What do you mean?" Kol's question following his sister's immediately.

"How do you know mother?" Elijah spoke up, trying to be reasonable, but the thought of finding out his father wasn't _his_ father was unsettling.

"Why have you never said anything?" Klaus was angry, his face redder than his mother.

"Because your father nearly killed you and your brothers when he found out about you. What do you think he would have done if he had found out that among his six children, only two were actually his?"

"Oh my God," Rebekah said bringing her hand to her mouth.

"Bekah, baby, are you okay?" Finn reached for his sister.

"Tell me mother, am I his daughter?" Rebekah dismissed her brother, turning to her mother.

"No," Esther simply answered, leading Kol to stand up abruptly. The table shook with his sudden movement, and nearly brought down his own plate and glass.

"Are you telling me the man I've always called dad, who beat us, practically tortured Nik, isn't my father?" Esther looked at him with heartbreak in her eyes, and he knew the answer to his question.

"Kol, calm down, son, this is as hard as it is on you as it is on your mother," Nathaniel tried to calm his youngest son, but Kol wasn't having it.

"Who else, mother? Who else isn't Mikael's?" the youngest Mikaelson son asked infuriated.

"Elijah," she looked at her second oldest son.

"What?" the heart surgeon asked shocked, the color draining from his face.

"So only Henrik and I are Mikael's sons?" Finn asked trying to hold back his emotions.

"Yes," the matriarch confirmed.

"Who is he?" Klaus demanded, but his mother avoided looking at her children. She knew the biggest betrayal wouldn't be having hidden this news from them, but keeping the identity of someone as great and loving as Nathaniel from loving his children.

"Who is he?" Klaus yelled and Elijah reached for him, trying to calm him down.

Esther jumped at her son's elevated voice, and Finn stood from his place and went to comfort her, holding her close to his body.

"Do we know him? Is he still alive?" Rebekah asked, her tears already filling her eyes.

"Give your mother five minutes," Nathaniel offered.

"Uncle Nate is right," Finn asked.

Klaus stood up and started pacing around the room, while Elijah tried to comfort Rebekah, and Kol watched everything quietly, although he trembled in the place he stood.

Five minutes went by and Esther only got worse, with tears beginning to fall from her eyes. Nathaniel looked to the woman he loved and he couldn't hold back anymore. They had agreed she would be the one to break the news, but he couldn't leave her to suffer in her misery so.

"I am your father. Elijah, Niklaus, Kol and Rebekah are mine," he offered and just like that Klaus stopped his pacing, Rebekah stopped crying, Kol could barely blink and Elijah was stunned.

"Come again, Uncle Nate?" Kol asked incredulously.

"I'm your real father, son," the older man offered with a soft smile, something all the Mikaelsons were used to and had always loved about their _uncle_.

"I feel jealous," Finn tried to lighten things up.

"That's why I could have never told you or your father. He would have killed Nate," Esther finally spoke again.

"You're cousins!" Kol protested.

"You can't help who you fall in love with," Esther simply said.

"Well… I think I'll be taking my leave, does anyone need a ride?" Elijah turned to his siblings, purposefully avoiding his mother and _father_.

"Elijah, wait," Nathaniel offered, but Elijah ignored him.

"Kol? Finn? I suppose you're going to stay the night, Rebekah?"

"Yes, I'll stay with Nik, thanks, Eli," she answered her older brother, turning to Klaus then.

"Can you show me my room, Nik?" her voice small and soft.

The blond doctor only nodded, before heading upstairs.

"Mother, I'll see you tomorrow," Finn kissed his mother's cheek, before turning to his uncle. "You too, Uncle Nate. It's really a shame I'm not your son," he tried to offer some comfort to the heartbroken couple still sitting at the table.

"Thank you, Finn, I've always loved all of you as my own, even you and Henrik,"

"And that's how we've always felt," he opened his arms to hug his uncle, before helping his pregnant wife to stand up.

"We're ready to go, Eli," he offered to his brother, who nodded, before walking to the coat rack, Finn and Sage following him closely.

"Kol?" Elijah called without turning to look at the dining room.

"I'm going to stay with mother and… father," Kol offered, his own eyes teary.

"Very well, you have a good night," Elijah said, his back still to the dining room, before walking out of the house.

"Thank you, son," Nathaniel said, letting some of his tears fall as well.

"Finn is right, you've always been like a father to us and although I'm hurt you hid it from us for twenty-six years, I'm happy I'm your son and not his…" Kol hugged the man he had always loved as his father for the first time.

"Thank you, son," Esther said before she joined their hug.

* * *

"I don't know what to think," Rebekah said to Klaus as they entered the room where Sage had been resting most of the afternoon. Klaus didn't say anything while he tried to wrap his mind around the new information.

He wasn't the only bastard. He couldn't believe that most of his brothers were also Nathaniel's, and he didn't know if he was angry or happy about it.

He had always had a close connection to his uncle. Certainly they were much closer than he had ever been to Mikael. Many times Nathaniel helped not only Klaus, but also Elijah and Kol during Mikael's episodes of rage. But of course his real father wasn't around all the times Mikael attacked them.

His mother was the victim of a bad situation when Mikael started beating them, but she wasn't completely innocent. She had had an affair not only once, or even for a short time, but for the almost forty years she had been married to Mikael.

She couldn't ever predict that once had Mikael figured out Klaus wasn't his that he would become violent towards his children. But he did wonder why the head of the Mikaelsons never ran paternity tests for the rest of his siblings. He needed answers and he needed them now if he was to hold back all of the emotions he felt. "You can use the bathtub in Caroline's room, Bekah, she stocks her bubbles in the second left drawer in the cabinets under the sink," he explained before he left the room and went downstairs again.

When he reached the end of the staircase he could see the family hug between his brother and his parents, and for a moment he felt compelled to join them, but instead he chose to walk slowly towards the dining room, and clear his throat to announce his presence.

"Niklaus," his mother addressed as they broke apart from their emotional hug.

"Why is it that Mikael never thought about running more paternity tests? How did you convince him that all the others were his sons?"

"He only suspected you and Rebekah, as you were the only blondes in the family. But he and Kol had a similar birth mark, that mole on their calves, and thankfully that convinced him you were the only one who wasn't his," Esther explained, and Klaus stayed quiet.

"When you were born I suggested to Nate to run a paternity tests on you and your older brothers. We had been careful most times, but you looked too much like your father when you were born. You have his eyes and nose, and I was certain you were his. We were surprised when we found out Elijah was also his, and we even retook the paternity test two more times, one of them I even managed to provide Mikael's samples, but the result repeated itself and we knew for sure Elijah was also Nate's."

"It was surprising because almost nobody in our family has dark features like Elijah," Nathaniel offered.

"But didn't Uncle Joseph also had dark eyes?" Kol asked, remembering little from Nathaniel's father.

"He did and there are a few people with dark hair on your mother's side,"

"Aunt Sophia has dark hair," Klaus offered, mentioning one of Esther's oldest sisters.

"And Uncle Noah's isn't that blond either," Kol mentioned Esther's youngest brother.

"Probably the reason why you also have dark hair and eyes," Esther completed and they found themselves in another silence.

"If you loved each other so much, why didn't you get a divorce? And don't try to say it was because of the royal family because we all know they stopped caring about that a long time ago," Klaus questioned his parents.

"I couldn't, I was nearly forced into marrying Mikael, and although they would have had no problem with a divorce, they would have had a problem with me marrying a cousin,"

"A third degree cousin!"

"Your mother also suspected that Mikael would try something stupid, and then she got pregnant just after they got married, then less than a year after Finn was born she was pregnant with Elijah,"

"But then when he found out about me he became violent! You could have spared us from that!" Klaus yelled at his parents.

"It wasn't that simple. I was even more afraid than before. If your father could nearly kill you when nobody knew about my indiscretions, what do you imagine he could have done if I had divorced him, or if he found out about Nathaniel? It would end with blood," Esther justified, but Klaus was too hurt. It had always hurt him to know his mother had been selfish, and had caused such pain to him and his brothers.

"I tried to protect you the best I could, Niklaus. And I know it's been my fault that you've been hurt so many times by that man… I know I can't ask for your forgiveness, but there was a time when you once asked me to tell who your father was, and I thought you and your brothers deserved to know, but not until Mikael was dead," she offered with a weak voice, still ashamed by her actions and what they had cost her family.

"I understand if you and your brothers can't ever look at me as a father, Nik, but you have always been and will always continue to be my children, all of you."

"Nik, you told me you sacrificed our relationship to protect me. Mother and father did the same," Kol offered, and his brother looked at him, contemplating his words. He was right. He would have done anything to protect any of his siblings and he could relate to Esther and Nathaniel doing the same.

"And now what? Are you going to change our paternity officially?" Klaus asked, ignoring what his brother had said. He was still too hurt by the revelations.

"I would like to, but I'm going to let each of you to make that decision,"

"I want it, Uncl… father, I'd like to have your name on my birth certificate, ID and everywhere else,"

"Your case is a little bit more complicated, Kol. You and Rebekah are twins, to change your documents I would have to change hers too and we don't know how she feels about it,"

"I want it too," the female blonde spoke, revealing her presence. She had been listening since Klaus went downstairs. "Mikael was a monster; he treated my brothers as if they were scum when the only worthless person in the family was him. I don't want his name on my birth certificate. I want to forget he was, even for a day considered, my father,"

"We could arrange that once your mother and I go back to England," Nathaniel nodded; although he wanted his only daughter to want to be _his_, not simply stop being Mikael's.

"Elijah won't be so easy. He doesn't forgive betrayal easily, as he shouldn't," Klaus offered bitterly, the situation reminding him of his betrayal towards his older brother.

"As you said, he shouldn't. It's his decision, I know we've hurt you emotionally with our decisions and mistakes, but one thing was never a mistake. You, each of you were my greatest treasures and your mother's as well. We feel ashamed by our actions by going behind Mikael's back, but we could never regret having you,"

"I've missed you, Un… dad, I've missed you all those years. Apart from my brothers and mother, you're the only one I've missed," Rebekah said with teary eyes as she walked towards her father and hugged him.

"Oh, my princess, I've missed you too. Those ten years were hell on earth to me. I've gone to every specialist, I've checked all advances in medicine around the brain, I was even part of trial, just so I could try and find a way to fix you. I could die happy now knowing my baby girl is finally okay again," Nathaniel held his daughter tight, his tears also falling free.

"I remember all the times you visited, you were always there with me, at the doctors, at home, always there," she offered, leaning into her father's embrace even more.

"As I'll continue to be, baby, I'll always be there for you,"

Klaus looked away, deeply touched by their moment, while Esther and Kol wiped their own tears. Rebekah's condition and recent recovery was still a touchy subject to everyone one in the Mikaelsons clan. As much as he wanted to join them, he couldn't. He felt betrayed by the one person he'd trusted in the past ten years. It was one thing telling everyone else, but a completely different story when Nate chose to keep it a secret from him. He was hurt, and whenever Klaus was hurt he couldn't stop himself from hurting others. And he didn't want to hurt his _father._ Still it was pretty amazing to know someone as honorable as Nathaniel was his father. But he wasn't ready to face it, so he simply left the twins and their parents there before heading to his bedroom, locking the door behind him.

* * *

_How is your night?_ – Caroline read the message a little bit after eleven.

_Uneventful, thankfully. How was dinner?_ – she answered back, and waited for an answer while she lay on the bed of an on call room.

_Difficult. Emotional. Draining, but also liberating. When is it your turn to cover the PIT?_ – she read a few moments later.

_5am. So, I take it that means it all turned out alright in the end?_ – she sent back, but received no answer.

Half an hour later she finally felt her phone vibrate, but the message wasn't one she had been expecting.

_Where are you? Which OCR?_

She wondered if he was at the hospital, but she didn't ask, and instead informed him plainly of where she was. Not even five minutes later she saw someone opening the OCR door and wasn't totally surprised when he entered, and even less surprising was when he locked it behind him.

"Hey," Caroline said softly offering a smile. She wondered what could have happened to make him come to the hospital when she was on call. It had been the first time he had done it since they were together, and she could see in his eyes he needed her.

"I didn't think I could wait for tomorrow," he offered before kissing her passionately.

Caroline decided to go with the flow and just pretend she didn't know there was something bothering him. She wouldn't pass up hot sex with him because of that. She would wait for him to open up, although she would try to bait him into talking to her once they were done.

His hands soon found the hem of her scrubs' shirt and didn't waste any time before peeling it off, or the rest of the clothes that cover her.

"You're insatiable," she muttered just before his lips found her breast and she moaned.

"I'll never have enough of you," he whispered, before moving to her other breast.

"I'm not complaining," she offered, her body on fire with desire for him.

She soon started to undress him and suddenly they were lying on the bed with only her panties separating their bodies.

He took his time kissing, sucking, and biting her neck, breasts, stomach and thighs. There wasn't a part of her body he didn't pay attention to before coming back to her lips from time to time.

She ground her body against his in an attempt to alleviate the tension rising within her; her nails leaving their mark on his back adding color to his triangle tattoo.

But Klaus only attacked her neck with more vigor from her ministrations while he ripped the thin material of her panties, not bothering to take them off. It wasn't slow love making, it was guttural, instinctive, wild sex.

Caroline didn't hold back her moans. He had never been so rough and raw like that. His movements were far from gentle and his grip on her hips would definitely be leaving their marks. It didn't bother her at all, quite the opposite actually. It turned her on even more and felt herself growing wilder as well as she reached for his erection and started pumping it.

Klaus groaned, almost somewhat vociferously, also moving his hand to her center, two of his fingers quickly finding their way inside her. With that movement she couldn't help herself, and before she knew it she had bit his shoulder – hard, while her free hand probably drew blood from his back.

Klaus moved his fingers from inside her and before she could complain, he unwrapped her fingers from his member and in a swift motion, he was inside of her. She didn't expect it to happen so fast and she couldn't prevent a yelp from escaping her throat.

His movements were erratic and forceful, but the hint of pain they caused only turned Caroline on more. He had been wild before, but never like this and she quickly sent the concerned thoughts about his night to the back of her mind. The pleasure his body was bringing hers didn't allow her to think straight. With her moans growing louder as he thrust with abandon inside her, he continued to attack her neck and breasts with open mouth kisses and love bites.

"Nik," she called his name when she felt her orgasm building up.

Hearing his name led him to groan yet again, and reaching between their bodies his fingers found her clit. He knew that was what she needed to come, but he wouldn't stop with that. He moved himself out of her and bringing both of her calves to rest on his shoulders, he kneeled on the bed, holding her hips with one hand while the other pressed against her bottom fiercely.

Caroline didn't last much longer after that, but Klaus wasn't nearly done with her, and keeping their position he continued to slam his body against hers, never ceasing to attack her clit with his fingers.

For the first time in her life Caroline felt like she was going to have a heart attack. It was too much pleasure and she was feeling lightheaded. There was no strength or energy left in her body as she felt yet another wave of sheer pleasure hit her over and over. She was positive she was going to faint, but she couldn't find her voice to ask him to have mercy on her body. She was consumed by pleasure and all the amazing sensations his body caused her. It felt like a supernova's explosion and just when she was about to collapse, she heard him gutturally moaning her name before he finally had his own release.

There wasn't much energy left in Klaus either, and letting go of her body as gently as he could manage at the moment, he fell by her side, trying to recover his breath while she did the same. Her heartbeat was probably over 200 bpm at the moment, she was positive, but she had never had better sex than that. It was as if every nerve in her body was alive, but at the same time lifeless, for he had drained with sexual satisfaction.

It took them some time to recover and when he finally managed to make his body move from the position he was in, he lay on his back, bringing her body to rest against his.

"That was… unbelievable, I don't have any words to describe that," she said between heavy breaths.

"I did tell you I would ruin you for any other man, love,"

"Consider me ruined," she chuckled.

They stayed in silence for many more long minutes, sleep sneakily entering their bodies, but Caroline still wanted answers.

"So, is it because of the dinner or because you really wanted to ravish me?"

"Let's just say a little bit of both,"

"And I suppose you don't want to talk about it?" she asked as directly as she could, and if he agreed, she would drop it. He stayed silent while she started to draw invisible marks on his chest with her fingers.

"Let's forget about it," she offered quietly, kissing his lips softly.

"Uncle Nate is my biological father," he said quietly and Caroline had to take some time to digest the information.

"Please tell me he is Mikael's brother and not your mother's," she said, unable to hold back the comment.

"Actually, he's a third cousin to my mother, but he's always been very close to the family, and is about the same age as her oldest siblings, we've just always called him uncle,"

"Sorry to freak out, but incest is something… eww, I'm sorry Nik, I don't want to be insensitive about it, it's just… eww,"

"It's okay, love, I agree that would have been… difficult to understand,"

"But is that a bad thing that you now know your real father and it happens to be someone that loves you and that you really like as well?"

"No, it's a good thing actually, but it also stings like hell to know he's always been there and that he chose to keep it from me. He knows I would never tell Mikael or anyone else if he told me the truth after I left London. It also hurts that my siblings and I could have had him as a father instead of Mikael. And it's highly uncomfortable to know your mother had an affair with your uncle for thirty-eight years, until her husband died,"

"Wow," Caroline answered, not knowing what else to say.

"Also, I'm not his only son…"

"You mean you're all his?"

"Not all of us, but most of us, yes,"

"Should I say I'm sorry, or congratulate you? I only know a little about your mother's husband, but I know enough to say he's a son of a bitch,"

"He was much worse than that, and trust me; you don't need to know more about him. But I don't know how to feel about this whole thing. A part of me is happy, but another significant part of me feels betrayed and hurt,"

"I'm sorry, Nik, but I'm also happy for you because you deserve to have a father that loves you, cherishes you, and admires you. I could easily read all those things on his face and he seems to be so proud of you,"

"He's the only one in my family that I've kept in contact with during the ten years I spent away from them. It wasn't frequent, but from time to time I called him and we talked. I think I've always felt he was more my father than Mikael could have ever been,"

"And that's all that matters. You love him, he loves you, he's your father and I know you need to forgive him and let it go. But you should take your time doing it and not feel rushed, but also take some time to look at the brighter side of things,"

"Thank you, love," he kissed her forehead, happy for her being there for him.

"Now, I do hope you won't need the emotional incentive to ravish me in the future. That blew my mind," she smirked, kissing his chest.

"I made you a promise of a life filled with that, love; I'm not backing out my word now,"

"Good, because I may become addicted, though let's try to keep it to the days I don't have to work soon afterwards. You literally drained me of all my strength," she chuckled, and he brought her closer to him.

"I can't make any promises, you look tempting, my love,"

Caroline felt her heart fluttering at the new endearment. He called her love all the time, as well as every other female in the world – and it honestly didn't bother her, because she knew he only loved her, but to hear him say _my love _instead made her much happier.

"I'm all yours, I'm your girl," she offered him a broad grin, hoping he would also like to hear something different, and given the smile that promptly came to his lips, she was positive he did.

* * *

Klaus had just left the OCR where they had slept after their wild sex tryst when Caroline was surprised to be greeted by his family outside. Panic settled in him realizing he left his phone in the car as he watched Sage being carried in by her husband. Even Elijah was with them. He dreaded to think what could have happened. Only Kol and Rebekah hadn't joined them, most likely because Rebekah was still tired and someone had to look after her in case anything happened.

"She's bleeding and she's having contractions," Finn said exasperatedly, once he saw Caroline in the ER.

"I'm paging Dr. Sanders, he's on call today," Caroline informed Elijah who nodded, while Esther tried to comfort Finn who looked almost as bad as his wife.

The obstetrician soon came to the room they had already moved Sage to, doing an ultrasound, and checking her dilatation. Finn couldn't stay quiet and pacing outside the door while they checked on his wife he nearly got nuts.

"Do you think it was the trip?" he asked to his brothers.

"I don't think so, brother. It's been more than twenty-four hours since you landed," Elijah explained.

"She was perfectly okay yesterday, Finn; it must be a false alarm," Klaus offered awkwardly, not knowing how to comfort his brother properly.

"Someone page Dr. Lockwood," they heard Dr. Sanders saying, and Elijah and Klaus immediately exchanged looks.

"Why do they need Dr. Lockwood?" Esther asked, also confused as to why her daughter-in-law would need a neurosurgeon.

The attending obstetrician and the resident taking care of Sage continued their rushed actions, before they finally controlled the situation and went outside to talk to the family. Finn immediately noticed how they were keeping Sage in the dark about what they had to say the moment the doctor chose to close the door behind him, even though the pregnant redhead was awake.

"There are premature labor indications, but we already gave her the medication to stop the contractions, and the next hours will tell us if it's been effective or not," he explained. Finn didn't know whether to be relieved or even more concerned.

"She needs her rest now, and I'll keep her at the hospital for a couple of days to run some more tests, but once she's released I most recommend she be on bed rest until the twins come," he explained and this time Finn reacted.

"But we live in Scotland, we're only visiting," he protested, knowing already that there would be no way for his wife to go back to UK even if she still had around sixteen more weeks to go, which was almost four months.

"Unfortunately, she won't be able to travel back, Mr. Mikaelson," the doctor confirmed his suspicions.

"Dr. Sanders, I have a question," Elijah stepped forward, while the elder nodded for him to continue.

"We heard you asking the nurses to page Dr. Lockwood. Why would my sister-in-law need assistance from a neurosurgeon?" he continued and Finn who had barely been able to stand until then felt his knees give, and if it wasn't for Klaus he would have fallen.

"Neurosurgeon? The same who operated on Bekah?" the oldest Mikaelson managed to ask.

"I have some suspicions about one of the twins, but I'd like Dr. Lockwood to check it first before I alert you about something that could be nothing,"

"Oh my God," Esther covered her mouth.

"What are your suspicions?" Klaus asked when nobody else could say a thing.

"Dr. Mikaelson, I don't think we should talk about it until Dr. Lockwood is here," the obstetrician tried to reason, but Klaus wouldn't have it.

"What are your suspicions?" Finn asked nearly harshly, already fearing the worst.

"I saw something in the spinal cord, but as I said, we can only be sure once Dr. Lockwood is here,"

"Do you mean a tumor?" Finn asked, tears already falling down his face.

"Mr. Mikaelson, Dr. Lockwood will take a better look at the image, run some further tests to confirm or not, and then we'll know for sure,"

"Is that what caused the premature labor?"

"No, it's completely unrelated, but as I was checking the fetuses to see how they were I noticed a small mass,"

"Don't you have any other neurosurgeon on call?"

"Mason is the best, Finn; we should wait for him,"

"Which is why I asked to page him, Dr. Mikaelson, we should trust your family with our best doctors," Dr. Sanders answered to Elijah who thanked him.

"You can enter and see your wife, Mr. Mikaelson, but as stress may influence her chances at a premature labor I suggest you avoiding speaking to her about these suspicions, at least until we know for sure anyway," the doctor advised and after the family thanked him, they entered the room.

Sage promptly asked for them to tell her what was happening, and looking to the three doctors in the family, Finn silently asked for help. Nathaniel took over himself to explain her everything, keeping the neurological issue out of conversation.

* * *

Mason arrived nearly an hour later and as expected he asked the resident to take Sage to have an MRI.

He talked to Dr. Sanders and he agreed the small tube seemed to be swollen, though not by much, and congratulated his fellow surgeon on seeing something so small during his examination of Sage.

He suspected the baby developed something they call tethered spinal cord and immediately the three doctors in the family felt relived, as although it was a neurological malformation, it was one of the simplest that could be treated with surgery once the babies were born and that could be treated without compromising a normal life.

By the time the news was announced Kol and Rebekah arrived at the hospital, and although Sage had answered well to the medicine that stopped her labor, she was still prohibited to fly back to Scotland.

Elijah left as soon as Sage's labor was stabilized and the fetus' condition explained. He didn't want to stay around his _father_, and he told his brother to call him in case he needed anything. Klaus also decided to leave, accompanying Caroline to the house as she had been there for nearly twenty hours. They bid farewell to the rest of the family that would stay with Sage, before leaving the hospital room. But as they walked away Caroline reached for Klaus, holding tightly onto his arm, trying to keep herself from falling.

Klaus turned to his girlfriend, realizing she wasn't well. "Are you feeling okay, love?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah, just a little dizzy is all," she said, her face drained of any color.

"Caroline, you look as white as a paper sheet, tell me really how you're feeling?" he asked firmly looking over her with a critical eye only to have his heart drop in his chest. He couldn't handle her being sick with everything else happening around them.

"It's nothing, we had a pretty intense night, it must be a side effect of being ravished by you," she offered a weak smile before she felt a wave of nausea hit her. And being unable to stop it, she threw up, droplets of vomit tarnishing her scrubs, but hopefully not Klaus' clothes.

Klaus felt the blood drain from his face and he was the one to become pale now, "Are… are you… pregnant?" he asked, as he helped her to an OCR, stopping on their way for her to rinse her mouth with some water.

"No! No Klaus, of course not. God, no." she answered promptly, as they entered the OCR.

"Your period should be this weekend, shouldn't it?" he asked unsure, helping her to lie on the bed.

"Yes, and by the way, it's creepy that you know that. I'm not pregnant or late, as it's still Sunday. I'm just dizzy because I didn't eat after our little rendezvous and the vomit must be from the hospital's terrible food I had yesterday," she offered, and he gulped, hoping she was right, but he wasn't convinced at all. As he brought his maybe-pregnant-girlfriend's head to lie on his lap he pondered nervously about all the new possibilities. The last thing he wanted in his life was a baby, and if that was the case, he wondered how he could tell Caroline he didn't want kids. At all. Ever.

* * *

_AN.: So Kat isn't the only one who doesn't want parenthood. Will they change their mind? And most importantly, is Caroline pregnant?_

_It's always been my plan to have more than one of the Mikaelsons to be a bastard, and not only Klaus. At first Elijah wouldn't be, but I decided his reaction would be worthy to read. Also, Rebekah, Elijah and Klaus had always been very close, and Kol is very connected to Klaus as well, so I wanted to make them full siblings. _

**_I have a new_**_** story.** The one I posted part of the first chapter here the other day. It's canon, and the first two chapters follow the events of 4x13 and 4x14 and from then on, it's my spin. I need a beta for it, so if you want to volunteer, let me know._

_I want to thank everyone who took the time to review this story. We'll have a time jump coming during next chapter, although it won't be the entire chapter. Thanks to my great beta,_ **Erin. **_She's amazing to me, I wish she had time to beta all my stories :P_

_Also, I'm not sure if I'll be able to post a new chapter next week. Today I've moved to a new place and while most of my things are already in the apartment, I don't have anything in their places yet and there's still tons of clothes, food and personal stuff to bring from my old place. I'll do my best. I have 16k words written to this story, but it's not in order, there are a lot of events I want to add that I'm yet to write, so while I have a pretty good outline that will make chapters come faster, this moving thing may put a damper in next week's update._

_Talk to you soon, guys. Read and review ;)_

_xx_


	27. Chapter XXVI

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XXVI**

* * *

Much to her relief, and even more to Klaus', it turned out that Caroline wasn't pregnant after all, getting her period later that day. And as Sage was feeling better both doctors released her to go home the following day, but not to Scotland. Upon the confirmation that she would not be able to travel, Caroline offered the house for her to stay in as well. There were four bedrooms in the house and lending his own to his sister, Klaus moved into Caroline's, leaving the two remaining rooms to the other two Mikaelson women.

The new week started uneventfully, and Klaus was reminded of Caroline's words about another crisis coming just before his parents broke the truth about their secret relationship and Sage's condition. But Monday went by calmly, and Tuesday wasn't much different. Except for one conflicted Mikaelson.

"I know there's something bugging you. Ever since your family dinner on Saturday you've been distant," Katherine offered as she ate lunch with her fiancé. It was rare for them to share meals together at the hospital, but ever since their engagement they had begun to be less private about their relationship.

"Here is not the place to talk about it, Katherine," he answered, before sipping his grape juice.

"Not that you've been much different at home,"

"You were on call last night. And I've been very worried about Sage."

"But we both know that's not what's bothering you,"

"No, it's not," he agreed, looking away from her briefly.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk to me about it, but maybe I could help?"

"I don't think anyone can help me. I've been lied to my whole life, by my parents. You know I don't deal well with lies. I feel betrayed, there's nothing you or anyone else can do to change that," he offered, revealing more on the subject than the past two times she had attempted.

"Holding grudges hasn't exactly been favorable to you in the past; remember your past relationship with Klaus? How guilty you felt about it later?" she reached for his hand.

"This is different,"

"Klaus had an affair with your girlfriend; I don't think the lying and betrayal now are any different from that."

"Tatia wasn't my girlfriend."

"Yes, she was."

"Katherine, I'm not going to talk about it here. You know how gossip mill works."

"If you don't want to talk to me, then talk to Klaus. Unless he's also lied and betrayed you like Esther and Mikael,"

Elijah opened his mouth to correct her, but stonily shut it instead. He didn't want to give any more information away about Nathaniel.

"He didn't. He'd been lied to as well,"

"So he may understand you better than I do, and he can relate to what you're going through. This isn't about you telling me everything, 'Lijah. This is about my inability to see you like this and simply accept it. If I can't help you, maybe Klaus can. Just give it a shot; I don't like seeing you like this," after a long pause Elijah's tense frame seemed to unwind the smallest bit.

"Thank you, darling," he murmured, reaching for her hand and giving it a small squeeze.

"There's nothing to thank me for, but if you talk to him, I'm certainly going to be thankful,"

"I want to set a date," he said unexpectedly, changing the subject completely.

"What?"

"A date for the wedding. I want to set it. I was thinking maybe we could use your vacation in the summer as our honeymoon,"

"You won't talk about your family around here, but you will talk about the one subject that will make the people here gossip for _days_?" she frowned. This was so unlike Elijah. He didn't like to speak of their private matters at the hospital, and her previous attempt to make him talk was almost desperate, but now he was openly talking about their wedding when they were in listening range of everyone?

"It's not like it won't be public knowledge the moment we decide it,"

"Why the rush?"

"There's no rush, it's just something I've been putting a lot of thought into lately. And the more time passes, the more I feel like we shouldn't wait another day,"

"I'm not sure when my vacation will be,"

"I talked to Alaric already. It'll be the last three weeks of July, entering the first week of August," he said, as he stood up, collecting his tray and hers.

"You really have it all figured out don't you?"

"It's not something that I can figure out all by myself. We've never really talked about the wedding, and if you think that a summer wedding and honeymoon in Europe is something you would approve of, we'll set a date,"

"It's sudden," she helped him to get rid of the trash.

"Sudden or too soon?"

"Sudden… I'm just surprised, especially if you decide to talk about it in the hospital cafeteria," she said as they walked away from said place.

"Don't be so surprised; as I told you, it's something I've been thinking about for a while now,"

"I'll let you know,"

"Good, and if you don't think that it's a good date, then tell me when you'd like it to be,"

"Yes, Mr. Determination,"

"I'm not determined, just too willing and eager to call you my wife. Would you like to be Mrs. Pierce, Mrs. Mikaelson or Mrs. Pierce-Mikaelson?" he asked with a broad smile, something she'd been missing since the weekend. Elijah wasn't someone who smiled a lot, but when he did, it was special and he always had a handful of smiles for her every day. She had missed it the last couple of days, and was happy to see it now.

Passing in front of one of the on call rooms, she took him by the hand, and brought him inside the room.

She closed the door behind her, and held a mischievous smile, as she leaned against it.

Elijah loved when she brought her naughty side to the surface, and smiling again, he approached her.

"So?"

"Mrs. Mikaelson sounds great," she said before kissing him. Surprising him with her answer more than the kiss.

He honestly thought she would never want to get rid of her surname. Katherine was a very independent woman, focused on her career and on building a name for herself. She wanted to learn from him because he was the best, but she didn't want her career to be associated with her potential marriage to him. She had said so many times, but now she was agreeing to have his name.

Katherine Amelia Mikaelson.

He liked it, and he would never admit how much her decision mattered to him. He was all for women's independence and he thought they should be strong and emancipated. But knowing his wife-to-be wanted to have his name still warmed his heart. Something else to prove how wonderful the woman he was holding now was perfect to him.

* * *

"Thank you for putting up with having my stuff in your bedroom, sweetheart. I know I'm invading your space,"

"Are you kidding me? I love your work, Nik. I love seeing you work. You can go back to your old room when your family leaves, but your studio is staying here." she winked, as she helped him set the tripod to the canvas he'd been working on lately. She knew painting calmed him down and set him at ease, and he needed that while he was trying to get into a better place with his father.

"I wouldn't call it a studio,"

"You could have one. Why don't you use your old bedroom as a studio and stay here?"

"I thought you just said you liked my art better than me?"

"But then we'll have one more workplace to have sex, maybe I can help you find your muse when it hides from you…" she said as she moved her index finger from this neck towards the waistband of his jeans, taking her time over his chest.

He offered her a small smile that she barely noticed. The truth was, now that his family was going to be living here, especially if Esther didn't stay with Rebekah, he'd been thinking about moving out. It wasn't only to keep his sister company and take care of her. Rebekah was more and more like the active and independent girl she was ten years ago, and she was already talking about taking some photography courses. His mother was yet to share what her plans were. Nate said he was going to cut off his hours, take vacation, but he never meant retiring or moving to New York. His mother's plans probably included moving back to England once she felt confident about Rebekah being on her own.

But Klaus felt a lot of pressure living with his girlfriend, especially now that he was sharing her bedroom. He had insisted to his family that Caroline was his roommate. Just his roommate, who also happened to be his girlfriend. It seemed too soon, like they were jumping too many steps in the relationship. People didn't usually live together so quickly into their relationship and while the circumstances were different, the thought didn't comfort him as it should. 'Too soon', kept running through his head. They did everything together. They shared not only a roof, but now a bed as well. His tooth brush was standing against hers in _their_ bathroom. He had his drawers in her walk-in closet. It was all too fast and also too much. They were still in the honeymoon stage of their relationship, where everything was perfect and they just overlooked – or even liked – each other's flaws. There was also the fact that they barely had a break in their new relationship. They had been living intense days, and once everything finally calmed, he was afraid of messing things up.

And then there was the pregnancy scare – if he could call that a scare at all. He had just panicked instinctively at the possibility of such a thing and he wondered how important motherhood was to his girlfriend and if they should talk about it now or give their relationship a few more months and see if they were still together and well then.

As if sensing his tension, she reached his lips with her own, giving them a peck, her hands rested on the back of his waist.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Us,"

"And why is there a deep frown in your forehead," she stood on the tip of her feet, kissing his wrinkle away.

"I'm sorry I went a bit mad when I thought you were pregnant," he kissed her nose sweetly.

"Well, I'm not, as you can see,"

"You forget to take your pill too many times, Caroline,"

"But you're a thoughtful and responsible boyfriend that reminds me of them every time I don't,"

"Maybe we should try injections?"

"Absolutely not," Caroline said warily

"And still you're a doctor, a surgeon nonetheless," he chuckled, pecking her on the lips.

"I have no problem when it isn't my skin," she shrugged.

"I'm serious about the contraception, Caroline,"

"You said my name two times in just as many minutes, what's the real problem here, Klaus?"

"And now you're calling me Klaus,"

"And don't you try to evade," she looked at him and he knew she was being serious.

"Kids just aren't in my plans, _love_"

"Neither are they in mine. I have an entire residency ahead of me,"

"That's not what I meant, Caroline,"

"Three times," she offered a weak smile that he knew too well. She understood perfect what he meant, and she was hurt.

"Now you're the one evading,"

"So you don't want to ever have kids, no big deal," she detached herself from him and sat on their bed.

"It seems like you had different plans,"

"I don't like to get ahead of myself, Klaus. We've been dating for two months; I don't think we should be discussing long term plans such as kids,"

"But don't you think that's a major? What if we're still together, longer than even the staff at Presbyterian is betting on?"

"You mean next week?" she laughed, but he could see catch the small glimpse of hurt in her eyes, and the way her laugh wasn't as cheerful as usual.

"How important are kids to you?"

"I don't think we should be talking about this. Why don't we practice making babies, instead of talking about them? Goodness, isn't the girl who normally has to be convinced to change the subject? You're losing your touch, Mikaelson,"

"I just want to know where you stand about kids. That's all, Caroline."

"I don't like it when you're so serious,"

He joined her on the bed, and looked at her, tracing the skin with his finger, similar to her previous moves.

"I want to have them, Klaus. With the mother I had that should be the last thing in my plans, but I've always wanted to be a mom. To be honest I don't even want the two-point-five kids everyone does. More like five," she chuckled, but he noticed her eyes glossed slightly with tears.

"And don't you think that's a problem? Why should we invest in a relationship when we know we diverge about something as big as that?"

"Because we should live one day at time. I don't want to have kids in the next five years. If we last that long, we'll discuss it when it comes to that,"

"Would you change your mind about it?"

"Klaus, two months… two months," she offered, already stressed by the subject. He knew he should have waited for her PMS to end before talking about it.

"Well, just know I won't change my mind. If you think that's not important, it's okay, love. I just feel better letting you know where I stand now, and where I'll stand five years from now," he kissed her forehead, before resting his head against his pillow, his eyes in the ceiling, his hand softly caressing her arm.

"Why?" she asked a few minutes later.

"What?"

"Why don't you want them?"

"I don't want to be a father, just that,"

"Nobody just doesn't want to be a father, there's a reason behind it," she insisted, but he only sighed, not saying anything.

"Is it because of Mikael?"

"I wouldn't allow him to still have a hold in my life, not after so many years," he answered bitterly.

"You were the one who wanted to talk about this, Klaus. So talk. I may not want to have kids now, we could not be together anymore when the right time comes, but right now you're my boyfriend and understanding you is something I'd like to,"

"I don't want to have kids, Caroline. It's as simple as that. I don't want to have someone call me father and I don't want to call someone son or daughter. It's not a position I'm comfortable with, it's not something I envision, and it's not something I want to be part of my life,"

"Okay," she answered quietly. She could bet there was something else, but she wouldn't push it. It was bad enough her boyfriend had such a different opinion about something that was so important for her. Motherhood was one of her biggest dreams, but if she wanted to be with Klaus, it seemed like she would have to give that up. She knew how determined he had been – after all he hadn't spoken to any of his family for a decade – and he seemed pretty determined about never becoming a father.

* * *

Caroline tried not to think about their conversation a few nights ago, but it proved hard, especially when both Rose and Serena shared with her they were pregnant, and while she worked with Rose.

Klaus also hadn't mentioned the conversation since then and neither did she, but there was a hole in her heart. When she was finally happy, when she finally felt like she could have everything she had dreamed of in the most unlikely place, reality had to hit her hard in the face and show her that life wasn't a fairytale.

Rationally she knew she shouldn't be upset about it. They were still in the early stages of their relationship and a lot of things could happen, and who knew how long they would last? But she was already twenty-seven years old and she wanted to settle down someday. Even if they weren't together for too long, Caroline felt she and Klaus could make it. He could be the guy for her. He could be the one she would spend the rest of her life with. Besides, they had been through so much in just those two months, wasn't that saying something? He had been shot, her sister had turned her back on her because of him, all her friends showed how little faith they had in them, his sister drama, and most currently his father drama. They had been there for each other through all of this. They had faced their fears, their mistakes, their battles, their pains; together, as a couple.

He had showed there was nothing he wouldn't do to be with her and she felt safe with him, a safety she had never known before. She felt appreciated. It was good to know what someone like him – someone that rarely showed any emotion or caring towards to anyone – cared so much about her, and only her. It felt like an accomplishment. It was like she had reached the loneliest heart and made it hers. But he didn't want kids…and that was one of the things she wanted the most in life.

What was more frustrating was the fact that he wouldn't even offer her a good reason for his decision. He made it clear it had nothing to do with his experience with Mikael, but she wondered how honest he had been. Then again, she had a terrible experience with her mother and father, and still she wanted to be a mother.

"Are you ready to go home, love?" he approached her, fighting his need to wrap his arms around her waist.

"Yes, it's been a pretty eventful day in Peds today. I can't wait for my bubbles. Can I have bubbles tonight?" she pouted. Unable to resist any long Klaus brought her to his arms, kissing her.

"You can have everything, sweetheart," he offered her a dimpled smile and she kissed him back.

"I wish I didn't have to work tomorrow. At least I don't have to work this weekend, only twenty-four hours until my free card is here,"

"I wish I could say the same,"

"Soon your schedule will back to normal," she comforted him, but they both knew it would take the rest of their second year for him to make up for the many hours he lost between his leave of absence and Rebekah's admission to the hospital.

"I wish I could compel the chief and just work a hundred hours a week," he sighed frustrated, moving his arm to rest on her shoulder as they walked out of the residents' locker room.

There wasn't much traffic that night and soon enough they arrived home, to see Rebekah and Esther had ordered food from their favorite place again. Caroline could definitely get used to eating decent food instead of her terrible mac and cheese. The Chinese and Thai food she and Klaus ordered couldn't compare to the first class menu Esther and Rebekah chose every night. Caroline had a lot of money – especially with her mother's heritage – but she was never someone to live like that. The Mikaelsons on the other hand seemed to indulge in the best of life at all times and she wondered how difficult it must have been for Klaus to live with so little for so long; she had never heard him complain.

"We were waiting for you to have dinner, let's eat because I'm starving," Rebekah offered as soon as they entered the house.

"Actually you can go ahead, I'm going to take a long bath, I'm exhausted," Caroline answered, hoping Rebekah wouldn't be upset.

"We'll wait for you, Caroline," Sage offered from the couch.

"How are you feeling today, Sage?" the resident blond asked to the pregnant woman; yet another reminder of what she wouldn't have if she chose to be with Klaus.

"The girls seem to be calm, but I miss Finn already," she said with a weak voice. There was nothing they could do with Finn having to go back to work. He promised to come every weekend to visit, while Nathaniel offered to help him pay the tickets. Finn was a very proud man – just like his father – and the moment he left home he didn't accept his mother's money anymore. Although both him and Sage had good jobs, and made more money than they needed, there was going to be a lot of expenses with the unexpected condition one of the babies had developed, in addition to the ones they had already predicted.

Adding weekly trips from Glasgow to New York would definitely put a damper in their finances, but Nathaniel wouldn't allow him to have it any other way. If he felt like he could endure the constant travelling for the next couple of months, Nathaniel would make sure he would help him to be with his wife.

"I'll put the food in the microwave so it won't get cold. And we'll wait for you and eat like a family, Caroline," Esther offered, when she saw that although Caroline wanted to tell Sage something positive, there was nothing to say.

"You better hurry, Caroline, otherwise I won't share the stories about Nik you have no idea about," Rebekah half pouted, half smiled.

"I'll collaborate with that," Nathaniel chuckled, from his place, looking up from the medicine digest edition in his hands.

"I've heard some of them from Finn, trust me, you wouldn't believe how Klaus used to be," Sage offered with a small smile of her own. At least she had her husband's family to comfort her. She never really had a chance to become close to them, but with the twins coming soon, she was happy they were finally getting closer.

"She's trying to make you give up your bubbles, love. Don't fall for it,"

"Bubbles? Who said anything about bubbles, let's have dinner!" Caroline said excitedly. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly very curious to see a different side of Klaus.

"Trust me, it'll relax you more than any bubbles in the world. I'm sure you'll never laugh so hard in your life," Rebekah offered, as she took her brother's coat from him, winking at him in the process.

"There are really some very nice stories," Esther confirmed, while Klaus moaned, knowing he couldn't escape. Seeing that Klaus was getting uncomfortable, Caroline took the chance to lighten things up.

"Do any of these involve his previous relationships?" she teased, winking to her boyfriend.

"Which relationships? Do you mean the one when he was 6?" Rebekah chuckled.

"He dated Chloe for about two years," his mother added.

"Until he kissed Rachel," Rebekah burst out laughing.

"They were very cute," his mother smiled, and Klaus wanted nothing more than to make them shut up, but seeing how beautiful Caroline looked smiling like that for a moment he forgot that they were making fun of him.

"We have pictures back in London, when we move for good, I'll show you," Rebekah offered.

"I'm going to have dinner, want to join me, Sage?"

"Won't you tell us the one or two things you learnt about relationships back with Chloe and Rachel?" his sister asked.

"Shut up," he said, but couldn't suppress the smile from his face.

"You'll fall in love all over again when you see his childhood pictures, Caroline. Klaus was very cute," Nathaniel finally joined the conversation.

"I can imagine," Caroline agreed, "Let's have dinner. I'm totally expecting to hear the dirty parts about his previous relationships,"

"You shouldn't be embarrassed about your childhood. Everyone has their secrets," she pecked him on the lips when he slightly pouted.

"You don't want to listen to those. They're boring and definitely not fun,"

"They sound amazing actually,"

* * *

"Rebekah?" Klaus asked surprised to see his sister at the hospital lobby. It was a Friday night and he wondered why she was there.

"Hey, Nik," she offered casually, as if there was nothing off about her presence at the hospital.

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for me," Stefan offered as he approached the siblings, already in his street clothes.

"What's going on here?" Klaus didn't even bother to cover the annoyance and slight anger from his voice.

"Stefan is showing me the city. He said New York has everything London has, except its better here. I doubt it, but I wasn't going to break his bubble without giving him a chance to make a fool of himself," Rebekah winked at the intern, leading her overprotective brother to close his fits.

"That's exactly what he's going to look like," Klaus said through clenched teeth.

"Hey, I'm going to say hello to Katherine. Eli asked me to give his fiancée a chance, but I can tell from a single glance when I see a bitch," Rebekah offered, oblivious to her brother's reaction, as she watched Caroline and Katherine approaching the nurses' station, Caroline in her street clothes, and Katherine in her scrubs.

"Do you have a problem with me showing the city to Rebekah?" Stefan challenged the resident.

"Are you trying to seduce my newly recovered sister, Salvatore?" Klaus reacted promptly.

"Of course not,"

"Rebekah loves too easily. She's fallen for at least four guys in her sophomore year, before the accident… don't think I won't beat the life out of you if you as much as touch her,"

"I'm just being a good friend. You demanded she move to the city, a country where she knows nobody but you and your brother. She seems to be okay with Caroline, but as you can see for yourself, she can't stand Katherine,"

"She's been unresponsive to the outside world for ten years, Stefan, the last thing she needs is you,"

"She's smart, vivacious, and full of life, Klaus, you shouldn't underestimate her. She's not disabled,"

"You don't know anything about her,"

"And how much do you know about the woman standing there talking to your girlfriend? You may have known the girl you left behind when you abandoned your family, but I don't think you know much about the girl that couldn't get over a severe case of PTSD because she thought two of her brothers had died,"

"You don't know what you're talking about,"

"Yes, I do, because _she_ told me,"

"Rebekah is too gullible for her own good,"

"I think she's a great woman, who overcame all kind of shit life through her way. Her strength and will power are admirable. She's strong, Klaus, you should give her some credit,"

"My words won't change, Stefan. Touch her; I beat you into a bloody pulp. Hurt her, consider yourself a dead man. I don't make empty threats, _mate_," Klaus said before walking away, seeing as Caroline and Rebekah were approaching them.

"Where's Nik going?" Caroline asked curious watching her boyfriend leave the hospital.

"He said he would wait for you at the car,"

"Rebekah just invited us to join the two of you,"

"He doesn't seem like he's in the mood to socialize,"

"What's new about that?" Rebekah chuckled.

"I better go then, a happy Klaus isn't patient, and a moody Klaus can be quite a handful. See you Monday, Stef. Do you have your keys, Rebekah?"

"Yes," the younger blond nodded, and wishing them a pleasant night, Caroline went after her boyfriend, hoping her night wouldn't be as unpleasant as she could predict.

"So what are your plans for this Friday night?" Rebekah turned to the man standing by her side.

"To let you see why it's known as the city that never sleeps,"

"I can't wait," she answered excitedly.

* * *

Stefan decided to take Rebekah to a rock bar, especially because there was a band covering Bon Jovi. It was one of his favorite bands, and he was positive it was something she could remember from her own teenage.

They were having a great time, she even dared to face the dance floor, and they were laughing and having fun.

Growing thirsty and tired from their dancing they decided to go back to the bar, and taking a stool they carried on talking. She shared her interest in photography with him, while he shared why he had always wanted to become a doctor.

"Damon used to be my hero, and when he decided he wanted to be a doctor, I felt like that was a path I wanted to my life as well,"

"How old were you?"

"About then, he was already a teenager,"

"I never had any interest in medicine. I hate hospitals, I hate blood, and I'm much too lazy for that,"

"Yeah, medicine can be demanding,"

"_So_ not my thing,"

"I'm going to the restroom, are you good here?" he asked, and she nodded.

He had barely left when a guy approached the bar; making his order standing between her stool and the one Stefan was just sitting on.

When the bartender brought his beer, he ordered a martini and offered it to Rebekah.

She thanked him, but didn't take the drink, focusing on her own and hoping Stefan would be back soon. The man by her side was making her nervous, even if he had offered her a drink.

"Isn't a martini to your taste, baby?"

"I'm accompanied, my date is already taking care of my drinks, thanks," she offered him a fake smile, that she hoped covered her uneasiness.

"So how about I start taking care of your other needs?" he proposed, moving his hand to her arm.

"Let go of me," she said loudly. The guy taken aback by her reaction held his hands up.

"Go away," she yelled, walking back, stumbling on another man.

"Don't touch me,"

"Stop it," she held her chest tightly with her arms, tears running as rivers from her eyes.

Soon a commotion was created, and the first guy that had approached her walked away, not knowing what was wrong with the beautiful blond.

Stefan was already on his way back when he saw her rocking her body forth and back, while thick tears ran down her face.

"Hey, hey, it's me, Stefan," he offered, but she jumped as his hand touched her arm, almost like the stranger had done just a moment ago.

"Don't touch me," she yelled.

"I'm not going to touch you, okay?" he held his hands up in the air.

"Stay away," she demanded, while someone from the security approached them. Stefan explained she was with him, provided him her address, phone number and relatives' numbers, and said she was having a PTSD episode and showing him his Presbyterian badge the security man watched closely as he tried to approach her again.

"Rebekah we came here together, do remember that?" he asked softly, keeping some space between them.

"I don't trust you, I've always known there was something wrong with you," she answered, and the security man took a step closer.

"I was your doctor, remember? I work with Klaus and Elijah,"

"You're a sick, a bastard,"

"Get her some water," Stefan turned to no one specifically behind him.

"No, not you. A girl," he said when a man turned towards the bar. The girl accompanying the man nodded and went on her way.

Some moments later she was back and Stefan asked her to offer Rebekah the water, choosing to keep his distance. The girl – who seemed sweet and was a little younger than Caroline – approached her carefully and after some reluctance, Rebekah accepted the water.

"Take deep breaths, Rebekah," Stefan said from behind the girl, who was smart enough to understand she should be repeating whatever he said to Rebekah.

It took them a while, but finally Rebekah calmed down and seemed to recognize Stefan when he walked closer to her again.

"Please, don't tell, Nik. He'll never allow me to leave the house again if he knows what happened," she offered, crying now for completely different reasons, as they walked out of the bar.

"Maybe he's right, Rebekah. Maybe you should avoid certain situations for a while," he said, although there was nothing he wanted more than to tell her something different. But he couldn't risk her safety or sanity. He wanted her to get better, but he couldn't lie to her.

"Promise you won't tell him,"

"Only if you promise me that you'll tell everything that happened tonight to your psychiatric,"

"I want to forget this night ever happened. I'm damaged goods, Stefan. I'll never be normal again," she cried, as she entered his car.

"Hey, don't say that. You've been through a lot and you made some serious progress in the past few weeks. Give it time, and do your best, and with time you'll forget all those ghosts," he held the passenger door opened, while he crouched in front of her, his hand on her arm. Relief raced through him when he realized she didn't react so violently to his touch.

"Time? It's been ten years, Stefan. Ten bloody years. How much longer am I suppose to wait until I'm normal again? Shouldn't we all know by now I'm a freak and that's all I'm ever going to be?" she was crying more hysterically.

"I know we've just met, and I have no right to ask you that, and it may even sound creepy; but I've seen glimpses in you of the strongest woman I've ever met. A girl that is fierce, determined, and according to your brother, someone that loves with equal intensity. I find you amazing, Rebekah, and I believe _in you_. Would you consider doing it if I asked you to? Because I'm sure I'm not wrong about you,"

"I'm tired, Stefan. I've tried to break that bubble keeping me from the real world for ten years. I fought with everything I could. My mother, my _father_, my brothers, they all pleaded with me with their eyes to keep fighting and all of them asked of me the same. And I did, I used every ounce of strength I had, I did my best. But it felt like I was drowning and no matter how much I swam I just couldn't reach the surface. Not even close. I can't go through that again, it's exhausting," she confessed, looking away from him.

He sighed, and standing up, he closed the door and walked to the driver's door. They were already on their way back to Caroline's house when he finally spoke again, his voice soft and low.

"But you're not alone anymore, Rebekah, you're not by yourself,"

"No one can really help me, Stefan. I'm thankful for tonight, and I'm sorry for embarrassing you," she answered, her tears already dry.

"Let's set up a time. You told me you researched some photography courses to start in the fall. Let's make a deal. You do your best until then, and I'll help with everything I can, and I'm sure your brothers and Caroline will also be there for you. If by September you don't feel better about it, you let it go,"

"Why waste yet another six months of my life with something I will never achieve?" she laughed drily.

"I wish you could see yourself as we see you, Rebekah. You have no idea how inspiring you are,"

She decided to stay quiet and not another word was exchanged between them until the car finally stopped in Caroline's driveway.

"Okay," she muttered when the engine died, and he stayed silent by her side.

"It will get better, I promise you."

"What if it doesn't? What if I never reach the surface?" she turned to him, and although her eyes were glassy with tears, she didn't allow them to fall. She wouldn't continue to cry or feel sorry for herself. She would just face the cruel reality that she would never be normal.

"You will, I'm sure of it,"

"Thank you, Stefan. I'm sure this isn't what you signed up for when you pitied your friend's sister," she looked away from him, reaching for the handle.

"No, it isn't because of that, I just never expected her to keep surprising me like this," he reached for her hand, holding it in his, while he slowly leaned closer, kissing her cheek.

"You're a good friend, just like Caroline said you would be," she offered him a bittersweet smile.

"Caroline is biased,"

"But I agree with her. You're pretty amazing, Stefan, and let's not discuss it because my biggest and strongest trait is my stubbornness,"

"Okay," he offered a sappy smile and she felt butterflies in her stomach. Who was this understanding and sweet guy sitting by her side? Could he be the first good thing to happen to her in ten years?

* * *

_AN: sorry for the delay, but first I moved to a new place, then Erin moved to a new place. Our lives had been hectic so I'm sorry for it._

_I want to start the Rebekah/Stebekah part of the story, but it's going to be slow, bear with me, please. We also will have a chance to see all the Mikaelson's as a family (except Finn/Sage/babies). Kalijah wedding! It's coming ;)_

_Thanks a lot for all the reviews I got. Keep them coming, lovelies, they make my day_

_Huge thanks to **Erin** because she's amazing.**  
**_

_Hope to talk to you next week. Have a nice weekend._

_Bárbara_


	28. Chapter XXVII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**Chapter XXVII**

* * *

It was finally the day for Nathaniel to go back to England. He was supposed to have traveled back a week prior, but with Sage's situation, he decided to stay longer. He also wanted to spend time with his children. Rebekah had been open to his love, but Klaus was still holding back. Nate didn't expect anything different. His son had been hurt by Mikael more than anyone else. He had carried on his shoulders as a child the weight of his and Esther's indiscretions. The lovers never forgave themselves for what they brought upon their beloved son.

Elijah was nowhere close to forgiving him though. He had yet to exchange a word with Nathaniel except regarding Sage's wellbeing and even that had only happened while she was at the hospital. He and Katherine had come to visit a couple times, but he avoided his biological father presence completely.

But it was now time for him to say goodbye for the time being. He had to be back in England, and he was looking forward spending time with Kol.

Rebekah, as expected, was emotional over her father's leave and made him promise too many times he would come to visit every month, as money wasn't a problem to the pediatrician.

"Have a nice trip back, Mr. Mikaelson," Caroline offered with a sweet smile.

"I already told you to call me Nate or at least Nathaniel,"

"I already gave up on asking her to call me Esther,"

"I'm sorry," the young doctor answered coyly.

"Travel safe, Nate," Klaus offered almost dejectedly.

"Do you really have to go, dad?" Rebekah asked as she threw her arms around her father.

"You know I do, sweetheart, but I'll be back in a couple of weeks. I may spend some of that vacation time here instead of Europe,"

"I don't want to get in the middle of yours and mother's plans, but now that I have you, I don't want to let you go," the blonde girl offered, and Nathaniel had to hold back the tears.

"I don't want to be away from you either; Bekah, but I have a commitment with the hospital in London. Your mother and I have been talking and maybe we'll move here definitely in the summer, along with Kol. All my children are here except Finn, Sage and the girls, but they aren't in London either,"

"You could have an American wedding!" Rebekah suggested excitedly.

"What?" Esther asked surprised by the mention of a wedding.

"You said you want to be together, now you can finally make an honest woman of my mother, Dad. It's about time," the feisty young woman moved her hands to her hips, looking dead serious at her father.

"We haven't talked about it yet, Bekah,"

"No more lies," the young woman warned.

"We do plan to make our union official someday, but we haven't talked it through,"

"Rebekah, let it go. What really matters is for them to be happy," Klaus said quietly, his words catching his parents' attention immediately.

"Nik is right; I'd love if you moved here. I hear Bedford is a great place to live; mother and I will look at some properties there next week. Maybe Kol and I could live in the city and you guys live there," she suggested, hugging her father once again.

Everyone noticed how quickly Rebekah had become attached to Nathaniel, especially after the nightclub episode, although no one in her family knew what happened. She was desperately holding onto what she knew was safe, and there were little things safer for her than her father. Even when she thought he was only her cousin, she had always counted on Nathaniel.

"Always ahead of herself," Klaus chuckled at his sister's suggestions.

"It's not like you won't like to have him around too," she challenged, knowing that her brother was really close to finally letting Nathaniel in. It may have been only one week since their discovery, but Klaus had always been close to their _cousin_. He looked after the man, and he loved him, and although the betrayal was still painful, he knew there was nothing Esther and Nate could have done if they didn't want Mikael to indeed draw blood.

"It'll be good to have you around…" Klaus admitted, clearly not saying uncle or calling him by his name, and most certainly not addressing him as his father.

"Nik…" Nathaniel said quietly.

"Just the other night Caroline mentioned I inherited my skills as a doctor from my father… according to her I'm a natural; a good one says my biased girlfriend. I denied it by admitting I wasn't Mikael's, as I've always hated being compared to the man. But now I can proudly say if I'm indeed a good doctor, it is because I took after my father. He's one of the most talented doctors I've seen, and I don't mean that on the account of how many awards he has," Klaus admitted as he looked uncomfortably at his father who still held Rebekah.

Nathaniel kissed his daughter's forehead, before he looked at his son. The way Klaus avoided looking at him, and had his hands in his pockets looking so shy and vulnerable, touched the old man's heart, and walking towards his most complex – and hurt – son, he took the resident in his arms.

"I'm so proud of you, son, your brother has complimented your talent to me and your mother on more than one occasion, you'll make a great surgeon," he hugged Klaus, who slowly moved his arms to embrace his father as well.

Even though those words hadn't been unusual coming from Nathaniel, it was the first time that he really meant the word son. Klaus had always sought Mikael's approval, had always tried to somehow make his _father_ proud of him, or at least approve his choices hoping that maybe he would receive any love from Mikael. His efforts proved to be fruitless, but still the hole remained in his heart for too many years, and even now as a grown man, it was something that still affected Klaus.

But now he had a father that had always loved him, a father that was proud of him, a father that proved time and time again that there was nothing he wouldn't do for him. The man who had always loved him unconditionally, through all his bad decisions, mistakes and sins. And that man was his real father. And as those thoughts crossed his mind he knew he couldn't keep punishing Nathaniel – and himself – for his past mistakes.

"Thank you… father," he said once they broke their embrace.

* * *

It took them long enough, but after four weeks Esther and Rebekah had finally found a place for themselves in the city. Nathaniel liked Rebekah's suggestion, and after they were settled Esther would look for a house for them in Bedford. He really liked the area upstate, and it seemed like a place he could finally settle with the love of his life.

They found a four-room apartment on the Upper East Side that was close to where Rebekah would attempt to take a course starting in September. She was making slow progress in therapy, but Stefan had been a good friend, and his presence definitely helped although she still had a hard time around strangers if they interacted with her on a personal level. To take the course she would have to interact not only with her teachers, but also her classmates. Luckily, they were just entering March, and she still had six months before she really had to face that.

Esther would go back to England to have their personal belongings packed and ready for the transportation to the United States. It was mainly her things, as Rebekah had embarked on quite a few shopping sprees, wanting a new wardrobe now that she wasn't living twenty-four-seven within four walls. She would also be bringing over some of Klaus' old things – mainly art related – and most of Kol's things as well. They youngest male among the Mikaelson's was planning on moving to New York as soon as he finally finished his last semester in two months and a half, so they decided he would keep just some of his clothes and everything he needed on a daily basis and ship the rest to his new bedroom.

And now, a week away from moving to their new place, Klaus knew he couldn't postpone talking to Caroline anymore. He had decided to move out with his family, but he couldn't find a way to tell his girlfriend about his decision. It might seem stupid to someone else, but the fact that his family would be living fifteen minutes away from him, and still he chose to live with his girlfriend of _three months_ was too much for him to handle. He was absolutely invested in his relationship with Caroline, but he was also scared about ruining it. They were – by definition – skipping a lot of steps in their relationship, and he wasn't experienced in that. He spoke to Elijah about the matter, and he said that sharing a roof could be challenging. The heart surgeon and Katherine had engaged in many arguments already, but Klaus wasn't Elijah. He wasn't ready to handle those conversations in a mature way like his serene brother. He just knew he would mess things up with Caroline, and that was the last thing he wanted. And yet, he also knew he would hurt her with the truth. It didn't matter how noble and good his reasons were, the moment he told her she would be hurt. It was a Catch-22.

Klaus couldn't deny the fact that he missed his family. He had spent ten years living as if he didn't have anyone else in the world. But now, not only did he have his mother and siblings, but he had a father. A _loving father._ Nathaniel was going to spend his vacation with them in New York, while he and Esther traveled a little bit through the country. Klaus wanted to experience that, although he wouldn't admit it to anyone else. He wanted to wake up in the morning and have breakfast with his parents and siblings. He wanted the dinner parties, the Sunday lunches. He wanted everything he had been denied of for the time that he had spent away. But he was too proud to admit that, so his only excuse would be slowing down his relationship with Caroline.

He had asked his mother's permission to move in with them – a very emotional moment for mother and son – but Esther was the only one who knew about his plans. He was positive she had talked to Nathaniel as well, but his father didn't say anything on the subject. And as he dropped his mother off at the airport he knew he would have to find the guts to talk to Caroline soon.

* * *

Arriving back home he went straight to the couch. He had worked the previous night at the hospital and he was still working on making up for the hours he lost while he was recovering from his injury. And after such a busy week, all he wanted was to sit on the couch and watch football. But Caroline had different plans.

"So, what do you think about a new countdown?" his girlfriend asked him, as she sat on his lap.

"Countdown?"

"One week and Esther and Rebekah will move out and we won't need to have silent boring sex anymore," she explained before kissing his neck.

"You mean you won't have to be quiet anymore? I was never the loud one, sweetheart," he said before attacking her lips with his.

"Good morning, bunnies" Rebekah smirked as she entered the room as well.

Caroline quickly moved from Klaus' lap, her cheeks burning red. She was positive Rebekah had already left to have brunch with Stefan – it was the reason why she didn't go with Klaus to drop Esther at the airport.

"Change of plans?" the resident asked as she smoothed her tank top.

"Salvatore is late – as per usual,"

"It's ten in the morning on a Sunday, Rebekah, amuse the guy, he's an intern. His sleep is the most valuable asset for him," her brother offered.

"If he cherishes his sleep so much then why invite me to have brunch? Why not lunch or even dinner?"

"Because he probably doesn't want you to think it is a date,"

"A brunch sounds like a date to me," Caroline bickered.

"He wouldn't dare," Klaus mumbled, but Rebekah heard him.

"Nik, you keep out of my business! It's not enough that I won't have my dark room in the house because you have to have a room for your stuff- stuff that you have lived without for ten years-and now you want to prevent me from having a friend as well?"

"I have no problems with you being friends with Stefan, but he won't try anything if he knows what's best for him,"

"You're insufferable!" Rebekah crossed her arms on her chest, pouting while she waited for her friend to arrive.

The truth was she had been expecting Stefan to make a move. They have been hanging out for a month now, and he had never implied he wanted them to be something more than friends. At some point she thought she was his charity case. But he seemed to really enjoy spending time with her.

Rebekah had to admit she was more than attracted to the intern. Stefan was everything other men weren't. He was sweet, nice, kind, funny, and even patient. She still couldn't believe he had agreed to go shopping with her the previous weekend and hadn't complained once while they stayed four hours in the mall, entering every single store. He was understanding and thoughtful and she to admit she had a big crush on him – something that was possibly developing into more – but she was afraid to lose her one friend. And she'd rather have Stefan as a friend than nothing at all.

She doubted she was ready to be in a relationship, or even commit to something simply physical with someone, even if it was Stefan, but she couldn't deny how she felt about him, nor the small hope growing in her heart.

* * *

On Monday, Klaus and Caroline arrived at the hospital, just before Serena gave out everyone's assignments for the day. The residents had been complaining about their chief's terrible mood lately and when she finally broke the news of her pregnancy they backed off a little bit on the comments. Still, she was a bitch most of the although her interns would complain of being with Damon, Caroline was fine to be with the plastic surgeon and pregnant blond herself.

"Caroline," the chief of residents called. "Katherine called in sick, could you please be with Elena today, in addition to your interns?"

"Sure, what about the others?" she asked. During Klaus' recovery Elena started working under Katherine, and although she worked with a Klaus a couple of weeks since coming back, for some reason they moved her to work with Katherine again. One of the many things Serena did that nobody seemed to understand.

"I'm giving one to each resident," Serena justified before walking away.

"Hey, you're with me today, Katherine called in sick," Caroline offered her sister.

Ever since the Klaus episode they had been slowly getting closer again. Caroline had visited her father a couple of times, and one night all of her half-siblings came to her house, while Esther and Nathaniel were still there, and Caroline introduced them all to them.,

Caroline was still slightly upset about what happened between Klaus and Elena, but the brunette clearly did her best to convince her older sister that everything was okay between them. The Forbes sisters shared the forgiving heart they inherited from Grayson, but Caroline had a hard time forgiving herself.

"What's wrong with her?" Elena asked.

"The flu, she says her head is killing her and she is vomiting a lot,"

"Who are you with today?" Elena asked

"Plastics, both Salvatore and Lockwood," Caroline asked as they moved to the nurses' station where Carolinewas going to give her interns their assignments.

"Her mood may be ruined forever, but her presence seems to be good for her brother. I guess he's excited about becoming an uncle," Elena offered, momentarily forgetting that Caroline had a past with Mason, which could make the conversation awkward.

"Yeah, it is good to have your family around, especially if it's growing," Caroline offered with a tight smile. She wondered if Mason knew about Rose's pregnancy as well. Damon had shared the good news with her the previous week, but he said only a handful people knew about it. She had been tempted to ask if he had told Mason, but she wouldn't go there. Also, she had her own boyfriend's family to deal with, so she should would keep away from her ex's.

* * *

Katherine couldn't believe her eyes. She was pregnant. How could this have happened? She'd been on pill since she was a teenager because of her problematic period. Her gynecologist prescribed it to help her with the cramps and irregular periods, and she had never missed taking one. Ever. It was habit. She would wake up, brush her teeth, and then take her pill. She was absolutely sure she hadn't forgotten her pill. She knew birth control medication wasn't a hundred percent effective, but she had never been neurotic about it. She decided to trust medicine and its odds.

But that wasn't the worse part. What was she supposed to tell Elijah? They had just agreed on a wedding date in July. She was committing herself in to the biggest step in her life. She had to tell him, but she didn't know how.

Telling him about the pregnancy itself wasn't that hard. But she would definitely have issues telling him what she planned to do about it. She wasn't going to continue with it. She wanted to terminate the pregnancy and she didn't need to tell him to know that he would oppose the idea. Elijah would never agree with an abortion. It was against his morals, his personality and probably ask too much when it came to his dream of becoming a father.

The thought alone made her feel like she could throw up her insides, as her stomach was completely emptied after the morning she had. Why did it have to happen with her? Just when they were completely happy with each other – despite the problem within his family that he was keeping from her. They were in a good place, but she knew for sure their heaven was about to end. Hell would break loose, but still she couldn't bring herself to do it behind his back.

The test in her hands didn't show how far along she was, but she hoped she still had a couple of weeks before having the termination. She definitely needed the time to gather courage to break his heart. She just hoped they would survive that. And maybe after this scare she should do something a little bit more definite about her fertility.

* * *

As much as Klaus wanted more time he knew he didn't have much. His mother had just arrived from London and they were planning to move the following weekend. Their belongings were expected to arrive by then, and he knew he had to talk to Caroline about his plans. But he didn't know how, and he knew the wrong word could hurt her too much; and there was nothing he wouldn't do to prevent from hurting her.

He saw Esther talking to Kol on the phone, helping him with a situation that happened after she left, and thought that maybe she could help him as well. Their relationship would forever be strained, not completely, but still enough to prevent him from going to her. But Caroline was the most important thing in his life, and he knew Esther wouldn't deny him some advice. So he waited for her to finish with Kol before he approached her.

"Mother…" he called her, already feeling uncomfortable.

Esther could sense his discomfort from miles away, and she knew he was about to talk about something he probably didn't want to. "Yes?"

"I need help," he quietly asked, almost avoiding looking at her. He didn't know why this was so disconcerting, she was his mother after all, but the only people he was really comfortable talking about anything and everything to were Caroline, and now Elijah.

"Sure, what's happening?"

"Can we have this conversation somewhere more private?" he asked, and she nodded, as she followed him to the home office.

He closed the door behind him, knowing both Rebekah and Caroline were in the house, but he wouldn't have any better time to talk to his mother before the weekend.

"As you know, I'm going to move-in with you and Rebekah to the new apartment, but I don't know how to explain my reasons to Caroline without hurting her," he said, getting straight to the problem. He wasn't going to beat around the bush. He needed a plan and he needed a good one.

"But why are you going, Niklaus? You only asked me if I would mind having you there as well, but you never explained yourself. Not that you need to, I just want to try to understand you to help you with Caroline,"

"I love her, mother, but living together seems like a huge step. Our relationship has been crazy. First I was shot, then shortly after I recovered Rebekah had the accident, then Sage, then father. It's been a busy journey, but now things seem to have calmed down. " he paused for breath, heaving a large sigh before continuing, "We've have only been together for three months, and I'm already living in the same bedroom as her…it feels as if we've jumped multiple steps and milestones in our relationship."

"You're not ready to be the person that is basically married to someone?" she asked, trying to understand what he was trying to say.

"Yes," he sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"I've fought against all kinds of instinct, and against myself to make this work, and maybe to someone else that's easy, maybe being in a relationship is natural, but it's not for me. I'm used to caring about no one, to having things my way, disregarding completely how people feel about it. I had to take care of myself because no one else would, and I don't even know how to let people care about me. Caroline has such a great heart, and she's amazing, but sometimes I feel like the walls are closing in. I feel suffocated, not by her, but by the situation. I don't know how to explain it to her without hurting her, without making her believe she's the problem,"

"First, everything is different now Niklaus. You've been on your own for the last ten years, but now you have a family again. Your brothers and sister, me, your father, we'll all be living here, it makes sense for you to be with us, especially after everything that transpired when you were eighteen,"

"I don't want her to feel like I was using her because I had no family,"

"I know, that's not what I'm implying here. We'll finally have a chance to be a family again, I'm sure she won't hold that against you. I'm aware she knows most things that happened to this family?"

"Yeah, she knows everything except the… accident," he said, looking enraged at the only mention of what happened to his sister.

"I'm sure she'll understand. She's such a sweet girl. And I think you can be honest with her and tell her you're not that man yet,"

"But I want to be that man more than anything, is nothing I want more than to be the man that can be her everything, the one that lives with her and might even propose someday. I look at Elijah and that's what I want to be, that's where I want to be in my life, but I feel lost. I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing and although she's understanding, she's been hurt a lot as well. She had her own family issues, and her ex-boyfriend played a number on her. What if I fail? What if I can't handle things as I should? Just the other day I had to explain to her that I don't want to ever have kids, and she kept saying we've been dating for only a couple of months, that those conversations shouldn't be part of our relationship yet, but I live with her, mother. I feel like we are already as serious as it can get without a ring on her finger. What am I supposed to do? Just keep such important information for myself? I don't know how to connect with people, but I connect with her somehow, and yet I know it's hard for her to understand me,"

"I feel like you're putting a lot of pressure on your shoulders, probably unnecessarily,"

"She's been abandoned by both her parents, by her ex-boyfriend, I can't abandon her as well, but I can't stay either. I need to breathe, and I need to be a better version of myself to make sure this will work. I'm trying to open up to her, and it's easy to trust someone like Caroline, but I still feel like at any given moment she won't endure it anymore and will just leave me. I can't have that either. I can't stay, but I can't have her leave me,"

"From everything you just told me, it seems to me like you're reflections of each other, Nik. And the fact that you're trying your best to keep yourself from hurting her just shows me that you're much readier than you think," the older woman reached for her son, touching his arm, knowing she would have to help him to connect with other people. She was partially responsible for how introspective and selfish he was. And it was her duty to help him.

"But I can't stay. How can I tell her without hurting her?" he asked, accepting his mother's touch.

"Do you ever think that she might feel the way you feel, son. Did you think that your fears could also be her fears and that what you want is probably what she wants?"

"I don't think so. She's confident about us, she never voices any concern, and unlike me, Caroline has no problem speaking up about her thoughts,"

"It doesn't mean she isn't uncomfortable too and wants to tell you the same. She knows she'd hurt you if she confessed the same, and I can assure you, son, she will be hurt when you tell her your plans. The same way I know _you_ will be hurt as well. You too clearly love each other, and I agree with you that it might be too soon to live together as a couple, but just because it may hurt, it doesn't mean it'll break you apart. It's part of your growth,"

"I don't know which words to say," he confessed defeated.

"If you use exactly the same words you just used with me and what else comes from your heart the moment you look into her eyes, I'm sure it will be okay," she reached for his hand, holding it tight.

"Will it be enough?"

"Of course, it will. She loves you, Nik. You can do it son, you're such a great man and I would say, by the way Caroline looks at you,that she knows exactly who you are,"

"_Nik?"_ they heard Caroline calling outside the door.

"I'm going to talk to her now," he offered, although he looked completely frightened by the idea.

"One more piece of advice?" Esther offered and he nodded, "Don't talk here, take her to some place private, somewhere special. It'll soften the blow, for both of you. Take her on a date," Esther suggested. He stopped to think for a moment, before nodding.

"Thank you, mother."

"You can always come to me or Nathaniel, Niklaus. Remember, you're not alone anymore, and although you have Caroline, you also have us,"

"I know, it means a lot," he said hugging his mother, feeling comfortable about it for the first time.

"Hey," he said as he stepped out of the office.

"Rebekah wants to know what to order," she said, and he responded with a nod before informing his mother of what was said who was also leaving the room.

"As a matter of fact, I was thinking about taking a shower and maybe taking us out somewhere to eat?" he asked her, looking briefly at his mother, who nodded subtly.

"Like a date?"

"Something like that,"

"But you've never took me to a date before. Except when we weren't really dating and we went to the movies,"

"Exactly the reason why I should take you on a date now. We're living like an old married couple," he joked, feeling nervous about touching the subject even playfully.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, and Esther decided to walk away from them.

"You've never asked me before to go on a date so out of the blue and expect me to believe is just because you realize boyfriends do that,"

"I want to talk to you about something important. We could go to a quiet and private place, take a walk or eat something. You can even choose the destination," he admitted, deciding against denying it.

"Talk? What kind of a talk requires a quiet and private date?"

"One that starts with I love you and ends with the same, no buts included," he said kissing her, trying to reassure both of them.

"Klaus…" she asked, suspicious.

"Caroline?" he asked feeling her body tense in his arms.

"Does it involve rings? I mean, are you bringing up rings to this quiet and private date?" she was about to freak out about the whole thing.

Realizing that he may have led her to believe he was going to propose, made him feel even worse about what really had to tell her.

"No, Caroline, I'm not proposing," he said trying to hide his emotions.

"Okay," she said also trying to hide her disappointment. She tensed not because she was scared. Well, she was scared, but not scared of commitment, she wanted commitment, she thought for one second that if he was willing to propose to her and have a conventional marriage maybe there would be hope for them to have a family together, and the thought of that caused excitement. She had said it was too early for them to discuss subjects such as children, but the truth was, she couldn't see herself with anyone else but him. Yes, it was soon, but they had such a deep connection. She loved him so much, and she knew this time she wasn't wrong. It was different from Mason. They could do it. They could spend the rest of their lives together, and a proposal while early, wouldn't be awful.

"Shower together?" he asked bringing her back from her thoughts.

"I like this idea," she smirked. They were getting ahead of themselves. They should just keep enjoying the perks of living together, and having sex like crazy instead of thinking about babies and proposals.

"Nik, Caroline. We need to decide what to ask for dinner," Rebekah yelled from the living room.

Caroline and Klaus walked towards his sister, and holding his girlfriend's hand, he answered the younger blond, "We're going out, actually, you can order whatever you and mother want,"

"Finally. We've been here for a month and a half and you never took Caroline out on a date at all. It's overdue, Nik."

"Rebekah…" he groaned, actually feeling bad about it now. He had never thought about dates since their little getaway. Which just proved that he wasn't ready to be a boyfriend, let alone a nearly married boyfriend.

"We should be going otherwise we won't find any place to eat. See you later, guys," Caroline caught her boyfriend's embarrassment, and decided to rescue him. She knew he was trying, even if involved some sort of serious conversation that she was dying to know about.

* * *

"So where are we going?" she asked as they headed outside.

"I thought you were going to choose?"

"Sorry, I was distracted having shower sex," she smirked.

"You're the New Yorker, love; I don't know much of the city,"

"There's this Italian place I love, it's not too far from here. I used to go there with my mother. I really like it,"

"So it's settled. You drive then,"

Caroline had tried to get the subject of their conversation from him while they were showering, but he wasn't giving anything away, which only made her more nervous. The drive to the restaurant was quite, and so was their stay. They weren't far from the Central Park and he asked if she wanted to go for a walk. She was getting more and more nervous, but agreed to go with him nonetheless. She hated the suspense, and she had a feeling in her guts whatever he wanted to talk about wouldn't be a good thing, despite of how he said he would start and end the conversation.

"It's a beautiful night," he said as he held her close, the temperature quite low, for March.

"What is it, Nik?" Caroline asked, not bearing the mystery anymore.

"I have something to tell you,"

"I know that part, if you moved to the conversation part it would actually help," she showed her anxiety, and taking a deep breath, he kissed her.

"I love you," he offered as soon as they broke apart.

"I love you, too, Nik"

"I don't want what we have to ever end, never" he admitted, and she became even jitterier. _Why is he talking about ends? Does he want to take a break? Does he want time and space? _

Looking down to her sweater she played nervously with its hem as Klaus also looked down as well, looking for the words he used before with his mother, trying to remember them and following her advice.

"This relationship thing is not easy for me, Caroline. I have to fight against my character sometimes to be a better boyfriend, and I know I failed sometimes and I'm about to fail you again, but you need to know I love you," he explained, and she started to tear up. She couldn't help how she felt. She knew he was going to break up with her and she wasn't ready for it at all. She was thinking about marriage proposals, not breakups!

"You said no 'buts'," she whispered, looking away from him.

"What?" he asked confused.

"You said earlier this conversation would start and end with 'I love you' and there would be no buts in the between,"

"And there isn't. I love you and that's all that matters. The reason why I'm doing it is because I love you. It's because I want to be a better man for you, the man you deserve,"

"I don't deserve better or worse, I told you, love isn't about deserving. I love you and you love me, that's enough," she reacted defensively, still not convinced that he wasn't breaking up with her.

"Sometimes it isn't, love, and you know that," he said, reaching for her cheek, and moving her to look at him again. He was heartbroken the moment he saw the first tear dropping from her eye.

"Just spit it out, Klaus, no anesthesia, just tell me what you have to say," she looked him deep in the eye and he could say before he even said a word, he had already hurt her.

"No anesthesia? Very well," he said clearing his throat, "I'm not ready to be the guy living with his girlfriend, Caroline. My family is going to live here now, and it's been a while since I had them around. And the reason why I moved in with you in the first place was because I didn't have anywhere else to go, but now it's different. If we continue to live together, I'm not your roommate, I'm your boyfriend, that you're sort of married to," he stroked her cheek as he spoke, hoping he wasn't making things worse.

"So you want to move out? With your family?" she asked looking unsure, even if they were filled with love and affection. At the end he was still saying he didn't want to continue to live with her.

"Yes,"

"This has nothing to do with taking a break because you need time and space?"

"No. I need time and space, but not to rethink our relationship, but to grow until I'm the man that can live with you again," he reassured her, taking both of her hands in his, and kissing them.

"Okay," she said using all her strength to hold back the tears that were filling her eyes.

"Okay?" he asked confused, seeing that she was clearly emotional at the moment.

"Yeah. I feel the same. We're moving too fast and we'll probably mess it up if we keep up with this same pace," she lied, although she knew that was the rational thing to do.

"You're not hurt?"

"No," she lied, and offered him the best smile she could, hoping he wouldn't catch her real emotions.

He watched her closely for a while, and against his better judgment, he decided to believe what she was saying.

"I love you," he offered, before cupping her face, kissing her softly.

"I love you, too" she whispered, because she couldn't speak another word without breaking down about it.

* * *

They walked back to his car, and he drove them home, happy with himself that it had been better than he first thought.

"You know I can sleepover sometimes," he offered, as they entered their bedroom.

"Sure," she agreed, forcing yet another smile.

"Are you sure you're okay about it, love?" he frowned. There was something off about her behavior.

"It's not like I'm celebrating it Klaus. You're moving out, I'll miss you, but it's for the best," she decided she had to give him something true if she wanted him to believe her.

"We can still go to work together, I'll come to take you every day. It's only ten minutes away from my mother's place," he kissed her cheek.

"Your place," she corrected him, pecking his lips quickly.

"No, my mother's place, I don't have any place of my own and when I have it will be ours," he offered boldly, also trying to see how she reacted. He knew she wasn't taking the news as well as she tried to show, but he had no idea of how bad it really was.

"I was thinking about inviting Bonnie to move in. What do you think?" she asked, ignoring his comment.

"Good, you won't be alone. I'll feel better if you have someone else living in the house. I suppose Stefan will also need a new place to live now that Rose and Damon are together and expecting,"

"You're right. I'll talk to them tomorrow," she said as she entered the bathroom to brush her teeth, but before she could reach her tooth brush, he pulled her body against his, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm going to miss you," he tugged her hair behind her ear while he looked at her blue eyes contemplating her beauty.

"I'm going to miss you, too" she said, her eyes getting teary again.

"You do understand that I'm not leaving you, don't you?" he seeing her emotions rising again.

She only nodded, not trusting herself to say another word without breaking down.

"I want a future with you, Caroline, and even if it takes a decade, we'll have our house again because this is what I want unless you don't want me to ever come back,"

Inside Caroline was screaming for him not to leave her. She was trying to be strong because she knew he was doing the right thing, and although it was painful, she knew it had to be done. Still it was like a piece of her heart, a large piece of her heart was being ripped from her chest.

Seeing her emotional battle Klaus took her close and embraced her, stroking her hair, "Do you want it, sweetheart? Do you want a future with me? Do you want us to have a future together?" he murmured against her ear.

She herself away from him, only enough to look into this blue eyes, and the moment she met them, she finally broke. "I don't want a future with you, Nik, I want a present, I want you, I need you, please don't go," she released the tears she was bravely holding until then, wrapping her arms around him, resting her face against his chest.

"Shh, I'm here sweetheart, I'm not leaving you. I won't ever leave you. But we need this space, we need to move our relationship to a more manageable speed. I don't want to risk what we have, Care. I don't want to feel like I'm about to explode, because I fear at some point I will and I will never forgive myself if I hurt you. I want us to work more than I want anything else," he reassured her, kissing her hair, holding her tight against him.

"I know," she sobbed, and his heart broke in his chest. That was exactly what he had tried to avoid, but his mother was right, and there was no way to prevent it from happening.

"Don't… don't break my heart, love," he confessed, feeling his own eyes tearing up, "Please, I can't see you like this, sweetheart,"

"Just hold me, Nik. Just hold me and everything will be okay, even if it isn't," she asked, and moving them back to the bedroom, he led them to lie down, and holding her close, as she asked, he tried to convince both of them that he didn't just make the biggest mistake of their relationship.

* * *

_AN: Very Klaroline centric update. I hope you guys liked it. things just got too complicated for Katherine and Elijah. You have no idea._

_Thanks a lot to everyone that reviewed last chapter and especially to my lovely beta, **Erin**, who makes a great job with this story._

_answering some anonymous reviews I got:_

_1)I can't say who the bastard is going to be, sorry :(_

_2)Caroline probably won't get pregnant in this story_

_3)There's about 5 more chapters to go. I have them outlined, but I may add more things that I planned so far._

_Have a nice week and watch the pilot this week. Joseph deserves our support, even if Caroline doesn't go to The Originals promptly (I believe she'll end up there one way or the other)._

_xx_

_Bárbara_


	29. Chapter XXVIII

.

**An Unlikely Match**

**XXVIII**

* * *

"Caroline," Klaus announced as he entered her house that Saturday morning.

It had been a week since he moved out and true to his word he was there with her all the time. He even slept at her place more than he slept at his mother's, making his point harder for her to understand. She thought he wanted space, but she couldn't understand he just needed to know he still had _his_ space instead of _their_ space.

"What are you doing here?" she came from the kitchen, a mug of coffee in hand.

"Did I say or did I not say I would take you to work every day?" he asked before kissing her softly.

"Yes, and while I appreciate that you've kept your word every day of the week, you're not on call today, only me,"

"And if I still lived here I would have been awake, just like you, and I would have offered to give you a ride just the same,"

"No, you wouldn't. You only took me to the hospital on your day off once and that was because I was too tired to drive according to you," she protested.

"So maybe this is just an excuse for me to be with you for a few minutes before you're twelve hours away from me,"

"No, that's an excuse for you to use your new car," Klaus grinned widely.

"I do admit that was one of the best purchases in my life. Besides, my old car was in desperate need of being retired for good,"

"Your old truck wasn't that bad, and I still can't believe you paid so much for that car,"

"I didn't want the trust fund, but there are only so many times you can say no to your parents. If they want me to have the money so bad, I'll have it. It'll help me to show you everything I love and that I'm sure you'll love as well. Food, art, culture, music,"

"And where does a sports car enter the equation?"

"I suppose I can amuse myself a little bit?"

"I suppose you can, but don't use me as an excuse to drive your new ride,"

"Actually I have a surprise for you tomorrow,"

"You know I hate surprises!"

"You hate not knowing what they're going to be,"

"This is exactly the reason why I hate surprises!"

"You're just a control freak, love. But I'll be a good boyfriend and I'll give you this: I have dinner reservations for us at seven. Don't worry about what you're going to wear or where we're going. Just make sure you step out of your bathtub at five-thirty and we'll be good,"

"You didn't!" she protested, although the big smile on her face betrayed her.

"Of course I did, now hurry up otherwise you'll be late and I'm here to make sure you don't get on Serena's bad side,"

"I didn't finish my breakfast yet,"

"And that doesn't surprise me; you'll eat while I drive,"

"You're going to allow me to eat in your hundred-thousand dollar car?"

"Did you miss the point that I love you more than anything else, even my Aston Martin?"

"No, it's just really weird that you come from not having money to get new tires for your old truck, to buying a car that's basically a Ferrari!"

"It's not a Ferrari, love, not even close, now let's go," he helped with her food as they walked out of her house.

* * *

"You really have an eye for beautiful places," Stefan offered as he accompanied Rebekah to one of the houses she selected for her mother to check in Belford.

"It's good taste, you either are born with it, or you're not," she shrugged as they walked through the empty house. "This is my favorite; I hope mother chooses this one,"

"Won't you and Kol live in the apartment?"

"Yeah, but I know I'll spend a lot of time here as well, this neighborhood is beautiful, I'm sure I can take great pictures around here," she said with a smile stamped on her face, as she scanned the area around the backyard's porch.

"I'm happy you're being positive about all this," he offered softly.

"Do I really have any other option, Stefan? I've been a _vegetable_ for ten years, I don't want to spend another ten being incapable of doing what a healthy person my age should be doing,"

"You're a very brave woman, Rebekah Mikaelson," he said, reaching for her shoulder and stopping her from re-entering the house.

"And you're a very confusing man, Stefan Salvatore," she said frustrated, getting inside quite quickly.

"And why is that?" he asked as he followed her inside

"Because you spend all this time with me, you keep complimenting me, you have a significant role in my newly acquired confidence to face my demons, and still you don't make a move," she threw her hands in the air walking towards the front door.

"I didn't know a move was expected,"

"Maybe it isn't. I've missed a lot while I was sleeping with my eyes open, and I guess girl/boy dynamics is one of those things. It's just back in my time it was rather suspicious when a guy invested so much time in a girl, without any second intentions," she offered almost shyly, stopping a few feet away from the front door.

"I'm your friend,"

"And I assume you're also Caroline's friend, right?"

"Yes, of course,"

"And do you compliment her as much? Did you spend as much time with her when her married ex-boyfriend broke up with her, or when her mother died hating her?"

"How do you know that stuff?"

"You forget I spent a few days in the Presbyterian… and you're deflecting,"

"No, I don't compliment any of my other friends as much as I compliment you, and I definitely don't spend as much time with them,"

"Then why is it that I am still only a friend?" she looked away, preparing herself for the rejection.

"Have you always been this bold?" he chuckled

"Is that yet another compliment?"

"It is," he said locking his eyes with her as they stood in the middle of the house's living room.

"The question is are you?" her voice was soft and low, and she couldn't stop herself from stealing a glance at his lips.

"No, I'm not," he mirrored her actions and tone.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have implied…" she started to apologize, but was stopped by his index finger sealing her lips.

"But you're a great influence," he said before replacing his finger with his lips.

* * *

That night it was only the Mikaelsons in their home. Klaus went to the hospital and took Caroline home, but decided against sleeping there again. Rebekah had been giving him an earful for losing a potential studio so he would have a bedroom he didn't even use.

Esther watched amused as her grown children argued while they watched some movie on TV. It was nice to have the two of them again. They had always been close and it was no surprise to her that what happened to Rebekah had led them both to lose their paths for over a decade. There was nothing Esther cherished more than her two blond children bickering as they used to do when they were young.

"Keep your voice down, dears. Sage has already retired to bed," the matriarch reprehended them.

"He started—" Rebekah promptly protested.

"I'm trying to watch a movie, but you won't _shut it_," Klaus retorted.

"So how about you both decide to give your sister-in-law the chance she needs to rest? She's almost thirty weeks along, trust me, she feels like she's ready for these baby girls to be here, but she still has ten more weeks to go. Don't be rude, that's not the education I gave both of you,"

"Fine," they answered together, Klaus rolling his eyes while Rebekah pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Not much later Esther bid them good night and decided to go to bed as well.

The movie was long, and tired from the week of work Klaus fell asleep, while Rebekah kept her eyes glued to the screen. She had a lot of catching up to do with movies, music, TV shows, and social networks among other things, and she was forcing her family to go through it with her.

The movie ended a little bit before midnight and seeing how her brother was lightly snoring, she decided to take a blanket and cover him, instead of waking him up from such a deep slumber to force him to use the bedroom he refused to spend the night in, for one reason or the other.

She wasn't that sleepy yet, and daydreaming about the afternoon she spent with Stefan in Bedford, she went through some TV channels until she found something that sparkled her attention, though her mind was really on the green-eyed doctor.

It was already one in the morning, and the youngest Mikaelson finally had her attention captured by some reality show. She couldn't believe they were still such a thing, and much less admitting that she actually liked it. They were much worse than ten years ago, but that didn't stop her from wanting to learn more and more about those people that were willing to showcase their lives for everyone to see.

But then Klaus started talking in his sleep and she frowned. She was about to smack him awake when she realized he was sweating, and becoming disturbingly unquiet in his sleep.

Soon his voice raised and he was yelling although his eyes were yet to open. She panicked, not knowing what to do or how to help, and she was about to go to her mother room's to get her when Esther entered the TV room.

"What's going on?" the elder asked as she watched her son twisting his body around on the spacious couch.

"I don't know. He murmured some, and then it became louder and louder and he's sweating and I don't know if we should wake him up or not," Rebekah explained as her mother watched Klaus concerned.

"We should wake him up; it must be a nightmare,"

"Nobody has nightmares like that mom,"

"Call Caroline,"

"It's one in the morning,"

"She must know what this is," Esther approached Klaus, touching his forehead, trying to soothe him without waking him up.

Rebekah was yet to reach the houseline when Klaus suddenly woke up, confused and angry.

"Bekah, please," he said, pain and desperation laced in his tortured voice, his eyes distant and equally tortured.

"I'm here, Nik, I'm right here," she approached him quickly, her eyes filled of tears.

"If you touch her again, I'll kill, you killed my baby sister. You killed her," he yelled loudly, and just then both Rebekah and Esther knew what was happening. Rebekah knew all about PTSD and Esther had learned a lot about it while having one daughter suffering from it for ten years. She had no idea her middle son had the same problem.

"Nik, he didn't kill me, I'm here, brother, I'm not going anywhere," she said crying, reaching his hand and squeezing really hard.

"Rebekah!" he exclaimed, but it was clear to both women he was yet to awake completely from his illusions.

"It's me," she offered, cupping his face with her hands. "It's okay, Nik. You brought me back," she completed, looking hopelessly to her mother.

"Niklaus, it's okay, darling, everything is fine. The nightmare it's over," Esther's soft voice seemed to reach him and blinking a few times, he was finally aware of his surroundings, although he didn't recognized the place at first.

"Mother? Baby?" he looked between the two other blondes.

"We are here, Nik," Rebekah cried, throwing her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly.

"Bekah!" he wrapped his arms around her shaking figure, holding onto her for dear life.

"Oh Nik, why have you never told us any of this?" his sister asked.

"It's okay, Niklaus, she's here. She's headed to the life she deserves, your baby sister is back," his mother continued to reassure him.

"I'm so sorry I failed you, baby sister,"

"You couldn't have predicted it, I don't blame you. I never have, and I never did. I want you to let the guilt go. It was… it's only… _his_ fault. You were doing what any other boy your age would be doing at a party,"

"She's right, Niklaus. No one could have predicted what happened and you certainly didn't think while you were with some girl, that a soulless man would try to kill your sister,"

"Thank you," he said quietly, breaking apart from Rebekah, leading Esther to take her daughter's place, physically comforting her son.

* * *

The previous day Klaus had agreed to take Caroline to have lunch with his family, and from the moment he stepped in her house she noticed something was off. He was quieter than usual, and he seemed more tired than usual as well.

They took advantage of the empty house and decided to have sex far from his family's prying ears and from Caroline's new roommates.

Bonnie and Stefan were going to move in again the following weekend. Stefan was happy with the timing, as Rose was basically living with him and Damon. He knew they had plans to keep both their houses – Damon's flat in Manhattan and Rose's house in the Hamptons, but the baby was going to need a nursery soon, and Damon's apartment only had two bedrooms. Bonnie was also happy to move out from the terrible apartment she had been living in, and excited to live with her coworkers again.

Caroline was happy to have them moving back. She had gotten used to having a crowded house, and had really hated spending the past week almost all by herself. When Klaus wasn't there she felt like the place was dead, and she knew her friends would at least cheer her up.

The blond couple was lying in her bed, recovering from their tryst, and even then Caroline could tell Klaus was being reserved.

"Is everything okay, honey?" she asked, stroking his soft hair, while she rested her head on his chest.

"I had another episode," he confessed easily, although his tone was dry. Caroline had his complete trust and he didn't plan on hiding anything from her anymore.

For a moment she didn't know what to say. It had been so long since he had an episode. As far as she could remember, he hadn't had one- not even once -since Rebekah had been released from the hospital.

"I'm so sorry, Nik," she held him closer to her body.

"I don't think they'll ever be gone for good,"

"Don't think like that!" she protested immediately, "You've spent months without having a problem. They will go away, it's a good thing you're living with Rebekah now. She'll be in the room next door and she's okay. She's great actually. Stefan said she's making a lot of plans for her future, everything is finally fine,"

"But the memories won't go away. She was half-dead when I found her," the images flashed again in his mind and she noticed how he was getting agitated.

"Hey, push them away. I'm here; we'll meet your sister in an hour. I know she's been through a lot. All of you have, but now things are finally settling and they'll stay like that," she said before kissinghis chest.

"She also has PTSD issues, and she said her doctor is helping a lot, maybe I should get an appointment with him,"

"I think that's a great idea," a pause lingered in the air.

"I miss you," he confessed, in what at first seemed like a change in the subject.

"I miss you, too," she kissed his chest again.

"You're my peace, Caroline. You've changed my life in so many ways, you have no idea, and I wish I was ready to be the man you deserve me to be, to live in this house with you, only the two of us,"

"And I wish _we_ were there as well, but things are better this way. Why risk moving things too fast if we have all time in the world? It's not like I'm pregnant and we need to have a shotgun wedding,"

"I'm such a lucky man," he looked at her with worship in his eyes.

"And I'm a lucky woman. I know it will get better, Nik. Everything will. You, Rebekah, myself, and our relationship. Everything will work out in the end," she offered along with one of her unmistakable Caroline Forbes' smiles that he still thought lit up the entire room, but especially his heart.

"I love you," he said, feeling like he needed to say it otherwise he would explode.

"I love you, too,"

"Let's take a shower, we'll spend the day with my family and then I'll bring you here for you to get ready for our date,"

"Any big announcements today?" she teased, leading him to smirk.

"No, I just want to show my girlfriend how much I love her and how much I appreciate her. I was broke when you met me, and it's time for me to make up not only for the lack of money I had to treat you as you deserved, but also my inexperience in the subject,"

"I don't need anything fancy, Nik. We could eat hotdogs at Central Park and I would still be happy,"

"And that's one of the many reasons why I love you,"

"So don't worry about showing me the world, and all of its art, culture, food and good music,"

"I'm happy you were paying attention yesterday, even though you use it to mock my efforts,"

"I'm not mocking you,"

"Elijah told me he and Katherine set up a date for July, I was thinking maybe we should travel after the wedding, what do you think?"

"Where?"

"Anywhere you want, Paris, Rome, Tokyo," he said, chuckling in the last suggestion.

"Three weeks aren't enough to take a tour of the world,"

"How about we start with Paris and London? I want to take you to my city, show you my favorite places there,"

"I would love that," she answered honestly. Even though her mother had made a lot of money, Caroline never had a chance to go anywhere except going to study. During her vacations she took courses her mother suggested, and sometimes she traveled to Florida and California. But that was about it. She wanted to know the world and she knew with the career she chose, she would have to take the rare opportunities when she indeed had a break.

"It's settled then, now what do you say about a shower and then we head to my mother's before Rebekah starts calling our phones?"

"Perfect," she smiled, kissing him lazily as they stayed a few more minutes in the bed.

* * *

Katherine had avoided this moment as much as she could, but there was only so much she could do to postpone breaking Elijah's heart. And she knew she would. She knew her fiancé well enough to know that he would never accept what she was going to propose, but it didn't mean she would do it any differently.

"We need to talk," she said as they watched a movie, Sunday afternoon. They had had lunch with his family and had come back to their flat only an hour ago.

"Now?" he asked, really interested in what he was watching.

"Yes, I've avoided this for long enough, I can't continue doing it," she admitted nervously, and he immediately caught the change in her demeanor.

"What happened, darling?" he asked, after he turned the TV off.

"I'm pregnant and I've scheduled an appointment to terminate the pregnancy," she said bluntly, leading Elijah to become speechless for a while.

"I'll go to the clinic tomorrow," she added a couple of minutes later when he still said nothing.

"And this is how you choose to communicate the news to me, just like that? The father of your child, your fiancé?" he asked, still too shocked to think straight.

"It's my decision to make, Elijah," she said with finality, leading him to stay quiet for even longer, only this time she didn't interrupt.

"If you go there tomorrow you don't need to come back," his voice was cold and detached of any emotions.

"Elijah, it's my body and my will. You can't force me to have a baby!" she protested, a sharp pain radiating from inside her.

"And this baby is my flesh and blood and you have no problem killing it," his tone raised, and she actually backed away slightly. It was so unusual to see him unrestrained.

"I can't do it, Elijah. You know I've never wanted to be a mother, I'm not cut out to be one,"

"And I accepted that decision, but this is completely different,"

"It shouldn't be,"

"The fact that you can't see the difference almost makes me think I don't know you at all,"

"Elijah, I can't do it, I simply _can't_,"

"Neither can I, Katherine. I can respect your wish to not become a mother, but I can't accept you want to kill my daughter or son,"

"Would you rather have it than me?" she found her eyes getting teary.

"There shouldn't have to be a choice, Katherine. If you reconsider your decision I'll overlook it, I'll forgive you,"

"Forgive me? You're asking me to give up my free will, the right to choose what I may do to my own body. You're taking away my choice and you think you are the one forgiving someone here?"

"If there was a way for me to have my body carry it to term or someone else's, believe me, I wouldn't ask you to sacrifice yours,"

"So what? From night to day I became your surrogate?"

"No, but this time tomorrow you could be a murderer. You took an oath, you promised to save lives, to do no harm and still you're going tomorrow to some practice to kill our baby,"

"I'm not even six weeks pregnant, Elijah, how does that make me a murderer?"

"The medicine may say it's just a bunch of cells forming a fetus, but it already has a soul, it already has feelings such as rejection. You have a life inside of you now,"

"One that, although isn't fully developed yet, is already more important than me,"

"No one would ever be more important to me than you, Katherine. But you have to understand you're asking me to condone you killing a person, someone we created together, out of love,"

A moment of silence passed between them, and Katherine could feel the tears dropping from her eyes.

"My decision is made, Elijah, I won't change my mind," she said, and he sighed, fighting tears that were threatening to fall.

"I won't either. I'll stay with my mother until you find somewhere else to live," he said with finality before he walked out of the living room.

The moment the door clicked, showing he had indeed left her, Katherine felt her strength leave her and she sobbed bitterly. Just like that she felt like her life was over and nothing else matter. Not even the decision that cost her it all.

* * *

Caroline couldn't believe it. When Klaus came in the morning he used his keys and she thought he had gone straight to her bedroom. As he expected she was still sleeping and she was completely surprised when he instructed her to check his old bedroom before she got ready, saying there was a surprise for her there.

And surprised she was. Never in a million years had she thought he would have given himself the task of looking for a dress and shoes for their date. And not just any dress, but the perfect dress. It was a light blue Vera Wang satin strapless dress, with an A line skirt that went until her knees. She felt like a princess in the feminine attire that had a few rhinestones spread across the bodice. Nothing too flashy, just something beautiful and classy. She had spent ten minutes admiring the dress before taking her shower and then another ten after she put it on. Which meant she was running late. She still had to put on makeup and Klaus would be there any minute. The Christian Louboutin pumps were also perfect, and she wondered if Rebekah or his mother helped him somehow. She looked like a model and felt like a princess.

She was putting on foundation when her phone buzzed. It was him, of course.

_I'm sure you're late, I'm not, but I don't mind waiting. I'm in the driveway._

She read, and she noticed it was already six-thirty and she knew they had to leave soon. She hoped he had reservation in Manhattan; otherwise they would be late and maybe even lose it. She finished her makeup quickly, and spraying on a little bit of his favorite perfume, she left to meet him outside.

The moment she opened the front door and turned to walk towards him, Klaus' jaw dropped. She looked absolutely stunning and that was the first thing he said as soon as he met her outside the passenger's door, kissing her lightly in the lips.

"You look breathtaking, sweetheart, a vision,"

"Thanks to you, I suppose? Didn't know you were into fashion,"

"I'm not, but aesthetics is something that is part of my world,"

"Are you telling me you chose the dress and the shoes?" she asked, as he opened the door for her to get inside.

"Of course I did, although I wasn't too confident about the shoes, but I think they work with the dress,"

"They're perfect," she checked the silver pumps again, while he entered the car.

"There's something else, but I didn't want it to be in my old bed," he offered with a bright grin.

"Who are you and what have you done with my badass boyfriend?"

"Here," he handed her the rectangular velvet box.

"Nik…"

"Don't worry; I didn't spend anything on this one. It's a family piece,"

"And that's supposed to release the pressure," she took the dark blue box in her hands, yet to open it.

"There are so many pieces in the family. Mother told me Finn already took many for Sage and Elijah took a couple for Katherine as well,"

"But they're married and engaged!"

"Caroline, don't doubt for a second how committed I am in this. I'm here for the long haul, I'm here for as long as you'll have me, and if that's a lifetime, then I'll be the happiest man on earth. I know it's going to be challenging, and that I'm not ready for many things, that I'll fail you a lot in the process, but I can't see my life without you in it,"

"I don't know what to say,"

"How about you open it, put it on and I drive us? We are on verge of being late,"

She kissed him in the cheek lightly, moving her thumb to clean the gloss stain she left. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she finally opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond bracelet.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, her free hand moving to cover her open mouth.

"Here, let me fasten it for you," he offered, reaching the jewel and clasping it around her wrist.

"Perfect," he offered, while Caroline still had her free hand against her lips.

"This is beautiful, Nik, I don't have words," she said, before wrapping her around him, "Thank you,"

"It's my pleasure, love, now let's go otherwise we'll miss our reservations," he pecked her on the lips before turning the engine on.

* * *

Caroline was scared when she heard her best friend crying copiously on the phone and she couldn't arrive at Elijah's place any faster. She was in the middle of her dinner with Klaus who was wonderful to her, understanding that it must have been something really serious if Katherine was in the state his girlfriend described while the waiter closed their tab. She apologized insistently and promised she would make it up to him. He simply kissed her lips and said seeing her in a beautiful dress, with one of his family's jewels, was more than he could ask for.

Caroline kissed him quickly, and entered the building, biting her cheek wondering what could have happened to Katherine.

When the brunette opened the door for her, Caroline couldn't recognize the woman in front of her. Everyone was used to seeing Katherine perfectly dressed, with magnificent curls and flawless makeup. Of course, sleeping over each other's places so many times and even sharing the same roof briefly gave Caroline a chance to see Katherine looking normal, human as she used to say, but her friend was now a shell of a woman. She was completely broken, her eyes swollen and red, her hair a mess, her makeup stained, but it was the lost look in her eyes that told Caroline something tragic had happened.

"What happened? Where's Elijah?" the blond asking, as she hugged her friend, feeling Katherine's body shaking against hers.

"He left," Katherine's voice was barely a whisper, broken and lifeless.

"What?" Caroline asked, not believing what her ears were hearing.

"I'm pregnant, I have an appointment tomorrow to terminate it," and if it was possible, Caroline was even more shocked.

"How did it happen?" Caroline asked, although that's not what she meant.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm so broken, so damaged, so damned and such a terrible person, that I deny the man I love the only thing he had ever asked of me. I prefer to become a murderer than to have a life that I can say I created," Katherine turned around, almost robotically, sitting on the couch she had been crying on since she gathered strength to call Caroline.

The blue-eyed girl reached the door behind her, closing it, before she sat by her best friend.

"It's your body, Katherine, no one should dictate what you do with it," Caroline tried to be supportive, although she didn't approve of abortion herself, but her friend needed that – a friend – not someone to make her feel even worse.

"I lost him, Care. I lost him for good. The one good thing that ever happened to me. I lost him because I'm too messed up to be what every woman is born to be. Women all around the world have become mothers since the big bang, but Katherine Pierce is too fucked up to do what's the most primal instinct in a female,"

"Katherine, it's not that simple and you know it. Not everyone wants to become parents," she offered, remembering briefly her own boyfriend didn't want it either.

"I've always thought I didn't want it either. But it's been a week since I found out and although I have done nothing but planned its… dismissal, there's a part of me that… a part of me…" Katherine tried to conclude her thoughts, but her sobs prevented her from saying another word.

"Hey, hey, take a breath, I'm right here with you, we'll figure it out together, like we always do, okay?" she tried to calm the brunette down, but her words really didn't reach Katherine. This was different. She had never felt so vulnerable and lost as in that moment. Not even when her father abused her as a child and teenager. This was a whole new level of exposure and pain, and she didn't know what to do.

"I'm not abandoning you now, Kat. We _will_ figure it out. I will help you and I will support you whatever you decide to do," Caroline reassured feeling as her friend didn't react as she expected. Actually Katherine didn't react at all.

"How far along are you?"

"Almost six weeks,"

"Which means you still have time to decide. I'm going to spend the night and tomorrow first thing in the morning we'll call your doctor and let them know you're not going, that you need more time to think,"

"There's nothing left to think, Caroline. I lost him. I lost the only man that ever loved me, the only man that ever respected me, the only man that trusted me. I lost him because I didn't love him enough, I didn't respect him enough and I proved myself not to be trustful,"

"I can't imagine what you're going through now, but you can't make this decision only to please him, Kat. You'll end up resenting your child and it may cause even more damage between the three of you," Caroline offered, although she really didn't know if what she said was the right thing to say or not. One part of her wanted to say she shouldn't make a decision about her body, future and life because of someone else, but then what was love about? Did Katherine really have a right to decide all by herself what they should do about the baby? Shouldn't Elijah also have a say, even if he wasn't the one taking the pregnancy to term in his body? Shouldn't the love he felt for Katherine make him supportive of her decision? Shouldn't he understand that something like that would change her life forever in more ways than anyone could count or explain?

It was a mess and although she knew she shouldn't think of her own relationship with Klaus now, Caroline finally comprehended that maybe he was right after all. Maybe a disagreement about parenthood was more important than she thought.

"There's nothing left to be damaged. There's nothing left at all,"

"Are positive you really want to terminate the pregnancy?"

Katherine couldn't bring herself to say the words, so she simply shook her head weakly.

"And is that only because of him?" Caroline asked softly, and by the way Katherine avoided her eyes, she knew there was more than the brunette's fear of losing Elijah for good.

"What's the other part of you been telling you, Kat?"

The brown-eyed woman simply shook her head, crying harder.

"Okay, we won't talk about it anymore, why don't we get ready to sleep, huh? I'll help you clean up and tomorrow we call the practice and once you have it figured out you call them again, okay?"

"I want to not want it, Care," Katherine finally admitted. "There's this strong, powerful, untamable force or something inside me that makes me… love it,"

"Oh, Kat," Caroline hugged her friend again, rubbing her hair, as she felt Katherine slightly rocking their bodies forth and back.

"I can't be completely unattached, Caroline. I want to; I want to stick with my plans. I've never wanted this and timing couldn't have been worse, but at the same time… now that it's here… I feel like… I can't explain. It goes against everything in me, against all choices I made, and it could ruin my career. At first I felt like I wanted to want it because I knew how Elijah would react, even before I told him, but then the days passed, and the stupid doctor had to explain to me everything that was going on, explain each of my options, and he gave me some stupid brochure and I read it," she talked almost hysterically, and taking a deep breath she continued.

"And then the fight suddenly changed. Then I didn't have to fight to want it, I had to fight to make the decision I know I should do. The termination is what I should do, and I shouldn't allow Elijah or anyone else to talk me out of it because it's my decision alone. But if I'm really honest about it, the connection, the feelings, the attachment was there even before Elijah threatened to leave me if I carried on with my decision. And for a moment I thought he's a jerk by trying to force his way like that, but then the damned part rose again and that part can understand his reasons, that part supports him not because I'm afraid of losing him, but because it agrees with him.

I agree with him, Caroline, but I can't bring myself to go ahead with this pregnancy. I don't want to resent this baby, I don't want it to go through everything I did… everything you did or Klaus did," Katherine confessed and while the blond had a lot of things to say while she heard her friend, when the brunette finally concluded Caroline found herself at lack of words.

"And I'm not going to lie, Care, I won't recover, I know I can't recover from losing him so I guess I'm destined to lose everything either way," she broke the silence a few moments later.

"Are you sure that's what you won't be able to recover from, Kat?"

"As much as l love my career and my life plans, and I think I can't recover from giving them up, I don't know if that's really true,"

"You can't be sure a baby would jeopardize your career or life, Kat. You may plan a lot of things, but you can't say if they're going to really happen as you wished, baby or no baby, but that's not the part I'm talking about,"

"But that's all I have to lose, Care. It's either Elijah or my dreams and my career. I don't think I can have both at the moment, and I know if I lose him I won't have the rest either, but that shouldn't be the reason for me to decide to carry on with the pregnancy. A broken heart and a mediocre career shouldn't be why I decide to become a mother. Even I can say that is wrong on so many levels,"

"No, Kat, I don't think you stopped to think about a third loss that you may not recover from,"

"And what that would be?"

"Your child. The baby you created with the man you love. Are you sure a day, a month, a year, a decade from now you will be able to face yourself knowing you got rid of your baby with Elijah? That this part that is bothering you now won't take over and you will carry a weight that is heavier than you can hold? That you won't feel like… your father somehow?" Caroline reluctantly added the last part, but she couldn't not address it. She knew that although Katherine was still fighting it, the maternal instinct, the love, the affection for the baby were already there, and at some point maybe her guilt would lead her to believe she did something similar to what her father did to herself, although the two things couldn't be comparable. But Caroline remembered the day Katherine said what her father did was against every natural rule, against the most natural feeling of nurturing: parenthood love. Getting an abortion now could someday mean the same to the broken brunette in front of her.

Katherine felt like the air couldn't reach her lungs anymore. It seemed like her heart had stopped at her best friend's words. But she finally had the answer she needed. She finally understood it all.

* * *

_AN.: I'm sorry for the time it took me to write this chapter. As you can see some very sensitive subjects are handled in it and I wanted to make sure I did it right. I wanted to make sure *I* wasn't picking a side in Kalijah debacle. I tried to show both of their povs the best I could and I wanted to make sure that if Katherine changed her mind it wasn't because Elijah abandoned her because of, but because she felt differently about it._

_There's also Stebekah, finally! I'm so happy to have reached this point in this story. I feel happy and accomplished :P_

_But all good things come to an end and I think there will be just a couple more chapters before the epilogue and I don't know when the next chapter will be up. I already started it and have plenty of it written, but still a lot to write. Kalijah's outcome is next and I want to continue to try to give my best writing it as it's a very complicated subject. I know some of you will support her and others will support him. There's also Rebekah's past that will be handled with and the many babies to be delivered, starting with Sage's. Maybe two more chapters won't be enough :P_

_I want to thank my amazing beta, **Erin**, for doing a great job as usual with my story. She's really amazing._

_Thanks a lot for the reviews in the previous chapter. I hope you're still there with me and I hope to read from you._

_Have a nice weekend!_

_Babi_


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